ie University of Oregon Bulletin 



New Series AUGUST 1, 1916 Vol. XIII No. 13 



The Culture and Manufacture of 
Flax for Fibre and Seed 

With Special Reference to the Industry in Oregon 



Climatic Conditions and Advantages of Oregon 



Production, Demand, Freights, Markets, 

Prices, Profits, Expert Opinion, Conditions 

in Foreign Countries 




Issued by the 

Department of Commercial and Industrial Service 

University of Oregon School of Commerce 

H. B. MILLER, Director 



Compiled by J. FREDERIC THORNE 



Published semi - monthly by the UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, and entered at the postoffice at 
Eugrene, Oregon, as second-class matter 



Monograph 



X 



THE CULTURE AND MANUFACTURE OF 
FLAX FOR FIBRE AND SEED 

With Special Reference to the Industry in Oregon 



Climatic Conditions and Advantages of Oregon 



Production, Demand, Freights, Markets, Prices, 

Profits, Expert Opinions, and the Conditions 

in Foreign Countries 




Issued by th< 



Department of Commercial and Industrial Service 

University of Ciregon School of Commerce 

H. B. MILLER, Director 



Compiled by J. FREDERIC THORNE 




SBS5-3 
.6^ 



D. of D. 
JUL 13 1916 



^ 



The following world survey of and report on 
the culture and manufacture of flax with special 
reference to the establishment of the industry in 
Oregon, was made by the Department of Commer- 
cial and Industrial Service, School of Commerce, 
University of Oregon, at the special request and 
under the auspices of the flax committee of the 
Portland Chamber of Commerce and is published 
by the University of Oregon at the committee's 
request. 

This committee consists of Dr. E. A. Pierce, 
chairman; William McMurray, passenger agent of 
the O.-W. R. & N. Ry. ; William Lipman of Lipman, 
Wolfe & Company; and H. B. Miller, director of the 
School of Commerce, University of Oregon. 

Acknowledgment is due and appreciation ex- 
pressed to the United States Departments of State 
and of Commerce for the great and invaluable 
assistance rendered in collecting the material upon 
which a large part of this report is based. 



Copies of bulletins issued by the United States Department 
of Agriculture giving details of planting, growing and care of 
flax will be sent to those who are interested and who make 
application to the School of Commerce, University of Oregon. 



EXPERIMENT BULLETINS 

The School of Commerce of the University of Oregon has 
copies of the bulletins of the Department of Agriculture and 
Technical Instruction for Ireland, giving detailed reports of 
the experiments of the following varieties of seeds : Dutch, 
Riga, Dutch Child from Canada, Riga Child from France, 
Yorkshire seed, Pernau Crown, Rega Child from Ireland, Per- 
nau Child from Michigan, United States, a strain seed, which 
though originally improved by selection for seed production 
purposes is thought would, owing to its remarkable evenness 
of growth, yield a satisfactory return of fibre. Small plots 
of Japanese, Siberian, Canadian Common, and Argentine seed 
were also experimented with. 

Copies of experiments with fertilizers in different kinds of 
soil and the different varieties of seed by the Department of 
Agriculture of Ireland will also be provided on request. 



FLAX BULLETIN 



OREGON ADVANTAGES 

Investigation demonstrates and the opinions of experts confirm the 
fact that Western Oregon, and especially the Willamette Valley, pos- 
sesses natural advantages for growing and manufacturing flax equal 
to those of any other section of the world, even rivalling the famous 
Courtrai district of Belgium for flax culture, and having climatic 
conditions for manufacture as good as those of Ireland. 

The three elements that comprise these advantages are soil, water 
and climate — not singly but in combination. 

Soil — The Department of Agriculture says: "The soils on which 
fibre flax are to be planted should be of such nature that good drainage 
is afforded, as the plants will not endure severe inundation. At the 
same time the soil should have good water-retaining capacity. A 
gently sloping field having a loam soil with clay subsoil is suitable, 
provided it is in a good state of fertility and is free from weeds." 

Western Oregon has thousands of acres of such soil and much of 
it has been passed upon by experts and declared to be as good as any 
in Belgium or other flax producing countries. 

Water — The second element is water of the kind proper for the 
necessary retting of the flax. Eugene Bosse, the Belgian expert says: 
"Belgium has one river, the Lys, especially suitable for flax retting, 
while in Western Oregon every river is, practically, the equal of the 
Lys." Water for retting needs to be soft and free from mineralization. 

Climate — The Department of Agriculture says: "Fibre flax can 
best be grown in regions where moderately cool, damp weather prevails 
during the summer. Sufficient moisture is needed to enable the plants 
to continue, without interruption, their growth during the period of 
elongation of the stems. And it is desirable that there should be little 
or no rainfall during the ripening period and harvesting time." (July 
15 to August 15 in Oregon.) 

A moist climate also is necessary for tlie best results in manufac- 
turing. It is largely the climatic conditions that have made Irish man- 
ufactures of linen the finest in the world — and those conditions are 
the same as are found here. In fact even in Belfast it often is found 
advisable to add artificial moisture to the atmosphere of the manu- 
facturing plants to get the desired results. Flax fibre or thread, woven 
in a dry climate, will be greatly inferior to exactly the same material 
woven under proper conditions of atmospheric moisture. 

That Western Oregon meets all these conditions and has all these 
necessary elements is evident. 

Transportation — Production without transportation is negation. 
Through her railroads and her outlet to the sea by way of Portland, 
Oregon has the facilities for reaching all the markets of the world. 

An Enormous Area — Flax grows extremely well on new land and 
is one of the best crops for breaking sod and making it suitable for 
other crops. Thousands of acres of new land in Oregon are being 
brought into the market for cultivation by the operations of the log- 
ging industry and a large part of this enormous area is suitable for flax 
culture when cleared of stumps. 



FLAX BULLETIN 



In Conjunction with Dairying — Dairying and the cultivation of flax 
operate to balance each other and make a combination that should be 
profitable. The clover and vetch croi)S that provide the fodder for 
cattle are the very crops that restore to the soil the nitrogen that is 
depleted by flax growing. The greatest demand upon the soil made by 
flax is for nitrogen — yet one crop of clover will restore as much of 
this element as is taken out by two crops of flax. The herds also supply 
the needed fertilizing material. 

On the other hand, flax seed, hulls and straw all are good stock 
foods, the seed especially. 

Western Oregon is especially ada))ted for both dairying and flax 
culture. Conditions become even more favorable when both are 
combined. 



Some Expert Opinions on the Possibilities of Successful 
Flax Growing in Oregon 

A report of the United States Department of Agriculture states: 
"Flax can be profitably grown in the Willamette Valley for the seed 
alone, and the indications are that the fibre production would be of no 
small moment. The natural fertility of the soil throughout a large 
portion of the valley would enable the farmer to grow the crop without 
the aid of commercial fertilizers. The Pacific Coast samples, submitted 
in comparison with the samples grown east of the Rocky Mountains, 
are remarkably fine, and if such straw can be produced economically 
we need not be troubled concerning future supplies of the fibre for the 
manufacture of fine linen. The Oregon samples are of such superb 
color that, if river retted to preserve the color, the fibre would resemble 
the flax of Courtrai. * * * -phe samples were of good length, 
some of the straw quite coarse but well grown and cured and giving an 
abundance of clean, silky fibre of superb strength. Well prepared, it 
would make a superior fibre, fit for fine linen. This comes the nearest 
to the Courtrai straw, in appearance, of any examined from the United 
States, among the best and strongest received. * * * There is far 
less percentage of woody matter, or shive, which breaks out readily 
when drawn through the fingers, leaving a clean ribbon, or filasse, 
that is soft, glossy and very strong. * * Oregon conditions are 

especially desirable for the growing of fine flax." 



The United States Department of Agriculture, in a bulletin issued 
in 1 89 7, stated that: 

"A ton of flax grown in the Puget Sound region of Washington, 
under the direction of the Office of Fibre Investigation, was sent to a 
firm of famous flax manufacturers in Lisburn, Ireland, to be retted 
and scutched in order to determine the grade of the flax so produced. 
A very superior quality was produced, resembling that of the famous 
Courtrai region of Belgium. With the Irish report was received a 
large assortment of flax samples, the best fibre of which is valued at 
$350 per ton; but out of the lot sent from Washington, fibre was 
hackled worth .$.500 per ton. * * * It is significant that represen- 



FLAX BULLETIN 



tatives of Irish spinning mills have visited the Pacific Coast * * * 
and speal<^ in the most encouraging terms of the fitness of this region 
for the growth of fine flax. * * * It is fully demonstrated that 
flax of the best quality can be grown in this country." 



Professor H. T. French, of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment 
Station, in Bulletin No. 43, stated: 

"Some forty years ago there was a firm organized in the 
Willamette Valley for the purpose of manufacturing linen twine from 
the flax produced on the farms of the valley. The results were highly 
satisfactory as far as quality of product was concerned. The enterprise 
finally was abandoned owing to fire, bad management and spiteful 
competition. The exhibits of flax in its various stages of preparation, 
made by this firm at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, 
won first prizes over all competitors, the other exhibits being from all 
the flax growing countries of Europe as well as from the other states 
of the l^nion. Tlie samples of fibre and straw from Oregon were given 
first place by all the nine judges, each individual passing upon the 
samples separately and without Ivnowledge of the action of the other 
judges. 

"Our climatic conditions are very much the same as those which 
exist in the great flax growing districts of Europe. A cool, moist 
climate during the growing season is conceded to be the very best 
natural condition for the most rapid and healthy development of the 
flax plant. The crop will be ready to harvest from August 1 to 15. 
During this time there is no danger (in Oregon) of injurious rain 
storms. From all the information at our command there seems to be 
no doubt as to the adaptability of the climatic conditions of Western 
Oregon and Washington to the growing of flax." 



Dr. H. L. Deimel, president of the Deimel Linen-Mesh Company of 
New York, San Francisco, Detroit and Montreal, and one of the most 
thorough and practical flax experts in this country, with few equals in 
any part of the world, says: 

"On July 17, 1915, I visited flax fields about Salem, Oregon, and 
was amazed at the general uniformity of the harvest. In the older 
flax-growing countries it has to be selected according to length, as it 
differs so materially. In the flax that was sent to me years ago the 
same uniform length was noted in the Oregon flax by my manager of 
the manufacturing plant, who insisted tliat the straw sent to us had 
been selected to give it that uniformity, and he refused to believe that 
it had not been selected and that it was only the general average. 
When proof was furnished that it was not selected and that it was but 
an average of the Oregon crop, the manager was astounded. I am 
familiar with the world's production and I am confident that Oregon can 
produce flax that can be made to equal the best in the world. The 
difficulty of producing a good quality of flax is the several changes in 
climatic conditions during the period of production. A severe dry spell 
during growing time produces a Itnotty condition of thread, due to a 
variation in the growth, similar to the variation in wool due to a change 



FLAX BULLETIN 



in feeding. Tlie even climate of Oregon makes jjossible a very fine 
quality. The uniformity of length and quality, as I observed it in this 
year's growth in the Salem fields, was quite a revelation to me and I 
think it will produce a thread ranging from numbers 50 to 100 — or 
equal to the best Belgian. I had some underwear made from Oregon 
flax some twenty years ago, and the garments averaged to wear twice 
as long as those made from flax from other countries. My opinion is 
that Oregon needs especially to develop the science of i)roduction and 
to establish a reputation, because the value will depend upon a 
reputation for standard and uniform quality." 



Mr. J. C. Cady, who has had charge of the experimental work done 
by the State of Oregon in flax culture and manufacture, says: 

"In my opinion both the soil and climate of Oregon are admirably 
adapted to the growing of flax of a high grade, and, also having the 
right kind of water, for the manufacture of the fibre. Oregon flax 
compares favorably with that grown anywhere in the world. We can 
grow just as fine flax in Oregon as they do in Belgium, Ireland, Russia 
or elsewhere." 



Mr. J. Sidney Starling, president and manager of the Flaxen Fibre- 
Down Co., of North Tonawanda, New York, in a letter dated February 
17, 1916, says: 

"The writer has been aware for some time past that the climatic 
conditions of Oregon are especially adapted to growing fibre flax. We 
have had quantities of flax straw shipped to our plant from every state 
where flax is grown and have carefully tested and tried out the various 
fibre-bearing qualities. The straw received from the states of Oregon 
and Washington produced a much larger quantity of good quality fibre 
than any produced elsewhere in other states. This is especially true 
with Oregon flax. Eastern grown flax does not grow nearly so well nor 
so thriftily as does Pacific Coast grown flax. Oregon fibre is much 
longer and stronger than we grow here, in addition to being of a much 
better color." 



(From the "Morning Regi.ster," Kugenc, Oregon, Miirch 2. 1016) 
"Eugene Bosse, flax expert, spoke at considerable length of the 
possibilities of the crop. 

" 'Conditions in Oregon are ideal for the production of flax fibre of 
the highest grade,' said Mr. Bosse. 'Your soil, your climate and your 
water are all suitable for profitable production of this crop. It is not 
an experiment, and all that is necessary is to go into the enterprise with 
the determination to do it right. One of the advantages of flax is that 
it is a reliable crop. I know, for I have been in the business for fifty 
years and in that time I have seen but one crop failure. That was in 
1864, and the cause was too much rain. 

"Oregon Water Suitable — '.Just to emphasize the excellence of con- 
ditions in the Willamette Valley for the growing of flax fibre, let me 
point out the water situation. In all of Europe there is but one river — 



FLAX BULLETIN 



the river Lys, in Belgium — whose waters are wholly suitable for the 
retting of flax, but in the Willamette Valley all of your rivers are 
perfectly suited to this purpose.' 

"Mr. Bosse explained that for retting flax soft water that has not 
been mineralized is a necessary requisite. 

"An important detail in the growing of flax, he said, is proper 
preparation of the ground. It must be put in the best of condition, and 
a seed bed as nearly perfect as possible must be provided. 

"Eus'ene Oomplimeiited — Dr. E. A. Pierce, chairman of the flax 
committee of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, told of the efforts 
that have been made to promote the growing of flax in the Willamette 
Valley, and complimented the Eugene Chamber on the promptness with 
which it took hold of the offer of cooperation from Portland. 

"Hon. H. B. Miller, director of the University School of Commerce, 
told of the research into the flax industry that has been made by his 
department, and grew enthusiastic as he sketched the outlook for the 
future. 

" 'I know,' he said, 'that Mr. Bosse is certain that the finest fibre 
in the world can be grown here, but even leaving that out of considera- 
tion the prospects for flax growers are bright. New uses for the cheaper 
grades of fiber are being continually found, and the market is widening 
rapidly as the product is being employed more extensively in the 
industries. The seed and the tow alone assure a profit,' 

"Present Outlook Good — In response to an inquiry, Mr. Miller 
explained that the reason the flax outlook now is so much brighter than 
at any time in the 20 years in which efforts have been made to stimulate 
the industry in Oregon is because of changed conditions. The war has 
assured a market at high prices for several years to come, he said, and 
this will give time to get the business well established. Increasing 
uses for the cheaper grades of fibre are also a contributing factor. 

"Frank C. Miles, flax expert of the Department of Agriculture and 
an authority on flax, said there is no doubt that fibre of the highest 
grade can be produced here. 

"Orejion Climate Right — 'Your climate,' said Mr. Miles, 'is pecu- 
liarly suited to the growing of fibre flax. You have plenty of moisture 
in the early stages of the crop and you have consistently dry weather 
at harvest time. These conditions are essential.' 

" 'Farmer' Smith, O.-W. R. & N. agriculturist, was introduced as a 
man who cannot talk on any topic without dragging in corn, and lived 
up to his reputation by asserting that the best way to prepare for a flax 
crop was by growing a crop of corn on the land. He urged flax growing 
as a means toward further diversification, declaring that diversified 
industry is the salvation of all farming communities. 

"Professor G. H. Hyslop, of the Oregon Agricultural College, said 
that experiments conducted at the college have demonstrated conclu- 
sively that flax, even if grown for the seed alone, is a profitable crop. 
He went somewhat into detail as to proper methods of growing, laying 
particular stress upon rotation. 

"Proper Rotation Necessary — Flax,' said he, 'should not be grown 
for several consecutive years on the same land, and the best results are 
obtained by rotation systems bringing in a crop of flax about every 



FLAX BULLETIN 



five or six years. This is due to soil diseases induced by flax rather 
than to soil exhaustion, for flax is no more exhausting to the soil than 
the average grain crop. Careful treating of the seed before planting is 
essential.' 

"The interest of the railroads in the growing of flax and their readi- 
ness to lend all the assistance in their power were told by Wm. McMur- 
ray, general passenger agent of the O.-W. R. & N.; H. A. Hinshaw, 
general freight agent of the S. P. lines in Oregon, and D. C. Freeman, 
publicity agent of the Oregon-Electric." 



A PROMISING INDUSTRY 

(Editorial from "Morning Register," E^igene, Oregon, March 2, 1916) 

"The effort to bring about the planting of several hundred acres of 
flax in the vicinity of Eugene this spring ought to be successful. The 
crop is not a risky one, for even if the fibre could not be sold at all the 
seed, at present prices, would yield a return equal to wheat or oats. 
Nor does the planting of flax require a heavy investment for new 
machinery, for the crop is put out and harvested almost exactly lilve the 
grain crops tliat are now grown here. Therefore, the experiment does 
not mean the learning of new farming methods or the employment of a 
new class of labor. 

"Exhaustive investigation has established the fact that Western 
Oregon is better adapted to the growing of a high grade flax fibre than 
any other section of the United States, and competent experts do not 
hesitate to assert that fibre can be produced here that will equal the best 
grown in Belgium and Northern France — which, up to the present time, 
have been the sources of the best fibre in the world. Soil, water and 
climate combine here for the production of a high quality of fibre. 

"The growing of flax is not new to many of the people who will be 
asked to put out an experimental crop this spring. Many Oregon farm- 
ers have grown flax here, and many who have come to Oregon from the 
Middle West are quite familiar with it, for flax is an important crop in 
many of the states of the Mississippi Valley. There is an essential 
difference, however, in the experiment that is proposed here and the 
way in which flax has hitherto been grown in this country, for the pro- 
duction of fibre is to be an important object. 

"While flax is grown extensively in the Middle West, the seed is 
the only product of much value there, for the climatic and soil condi- 
tions are not right for the production of high-grade fibre. In Western 
Oregon, however, these conditions are right, and there seems to be 
little doubt that fibre from which the finest of linen can be made may 
be produced here. 

"The present time is peculiarly fortuitous for such an experiment. 
Hitherto Belgium and Northern France have been the great sources of 
supply for fine flax fibre, and it is there that the great Irish mills have 
secured the principal part of their raw material. But Belgium and 
Northern France are now in ruins. The fertile and carefully tended 
farms where flax fibre was produced have been fought over, back and 
forth, until their power to produce crops has been materially lessened. 



10 FLAX BULLETIN 



Many of the people have been killed and the rest have been driven 
from their homes. Even if the war should end within a short time, it 
will be years before these sections are brought back to full productive 
capacity. 

"Meanwhile flax fibre of good quality must be secured from some- 
where if the manufacture of linen is to continue. It has been definitely 
])roved that Western Oregon can produce fibre of the best and there is 
no reason why the growing of flax should not become an important 
industry here. The Willamette Valley greatly needs new and profitable 
crops, and there ought to be no hesitation about trying the experiment 
that is proposed. There is nothing to lose, for the seed alone will 
equal ordinary hay and grain crops, and there is much to gain by the 
establishment of a new and profitable industry." 



THE EUGENE CHAMIJER OP COMMERCE FLAX PROJECT 

(By S. Dike Hcjoper. Sccrttary Eugene Chamber of Commerce) 

"Early in 191(5 the Portland Chamber of Commerce, through its 
flax committee, offered the services of a Belgian flax expert, who has 
made a life study of fibre flax, to any chamber of commerce in the 
valley which would guarantee to arrange for the seeding", harvesting 
and manufacture of fibre on a sufficiently large scale to test the croj) 
thoroughly. The Eugene Chamber of Commerce has accepted this 
proposal, and entered into reciprocal relations with the Portland Cham- 
ber on a cooperative basis, looking toward the scientific conduct of a 
thorough experiment. 

"Many of the more experienced farmers of the Willamette Valley 
have successfully raised flax for seed purposes in years gone by, and 
the fibre movement has met with a very cordial reception. The sowing 
of 200 acres has been definitely arranged, and the erection of a fibre 
mill to care for this product is assured. The 'water retting' process 
will be employed exclusively, conclusive tests having demonstrated the 
fitness of the Willamette Valley waters for this purpose. 

"All lands offered for 'flax culture were carefully examined by the 
expert in charge, and a great many tracts were rejected principally on 
the grounds of foulness, weeds, improper preparation the ijreceding 
In the selection of lands the expert has given preference to small 
tracts of varying soil characteristics so that the tests may be as com- 
prehensive as possible. The theory is that a few acres will receive 
better preparation, more attention during the growing season, and l)e 
more easily harvested at the right time than a large tract. Another 
important consideration is that small individual plantings will afford 
an opportunity to a larger proportion of the farmers who wish to 
conduct the experiment than any other arrangement. 

"The amount of money estimated as necessary to carry the plans 
to a successful conclusion is $12,000, which will be advanced as needed 
by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. This sum will cover everything 
excei)ting- the expert's salary, which has been assumed by the 
Portland Chamber of Commerce. The plan under which the flax is 
being planted is, in brief, as follows: The Eugene Chamber furnishes 



FLAX BULLETIN 11 



at cost the highest grade fibre flax seed for which payment may be 
made after the crop is harvested. The soil is then prepared under the 
direction of the expert, who will keep in close touch with the crop 
during the growing period and dictate the time and manner of harvesting. 
The growers will deliver the straw at the plant, where due credit will 
be given each grower, based on the tonnage delivered. The proceeds 
from the sale of seed, fibre and tow will be disbursed in the following 
manner: First, the growers will receive $7.50 per acre to partly 
cover the cost of seed, preparation of land, labor, etc. Beyond this 
point the net proceeds will be divided equally between the chamber of 
commerce and growers until the chamber recovers the sum advanced 
for flax purposes. The balance of the receipts will go to the growers. 

"This experiment is of especial interest as an illustration of the 
growing recognition by both business men and the farmers of the 
partnership which must always exist between persons in whatever field 
of endeavor who draw their support from the same community. The 
fundamental principles of cooperation involved are broad and pro- 
gressive and the outcome will be observed with great interest by 
representatives of commercial and agricultural interests in all parts 
of the country. 

"April 27, 1916." 

(Since the above was written tlie 200 acres near Eugene have been planted 
to flax under Mr. Bosse's supervision, the building for the mill rented and the 
machinery shipped from Salem to Eugene. By the time this bulletin is issued 
this machinery will be installed ready for use, and the retting tanks built. At 
this date, June 1, the crop is making a very excellent showing. The Eugene 
Chamber of Commerce recently has elected George Quayle as secretary of the 
Chamber and manager of the flax industry in Eugene. ) 



EXTRACT FROM AXXUAL REPORT OF PRESIDEXT COLT, OF 
PORTLAXD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

"A fair share of the credit for developing high grade flax fibre 
possibilities in the Willamette Valley belongs to a sub-committee of 
the Trade and Commerce Bureau known as the 'Flax Development 
Committee,' of which Dr. E. A. Pierce is the chairman. This committee 
is really a joint committee operating with the Oregon Development 
Bureau. The work of this committee is entitled to special mention 
because of the evident importance and profitable opportunity for the 
Willamette Valley and possibly one or two other parts of Western 
Oregon. For many years we have contended that high grade fibre flax 
could be grown in Western Oregon. 

"To prove conclusively that the farmer of average ability can grow 
fibre flax at a profit, our flax committee, representing the chamber of 
commerce has entered into an arrangement with the Eugene Chamber 
of Commerce. As a result, about two hundred acres of flax will be 
planted under the directions of the best man available for supervision 
of such work. By the terms of this agreement, the Eugene people 
agree to provide necessary funds for establishing a retting plant 
equipped with the necessary tanks and machinery. It is estimated that 
it will be necessary to raise approximately $5,000 in Eugene. This 
chamber of commerce has agreed to furnish $1,000 for the purpose of 
paying the salary of the flax expert for a period of ten months. 



12 FLAX BULLETIN 



"If it is proven by tliis experiment, or demonstration, tliat the 
farmer of average ability can grow high grade fibre at a profit, it is 
more than liltely, in fact it is certain, that tliousands of acres will be 
planted the following year. This is bound to result in the establish- 
ment of flax spinning and linen industries either in Portland or the 
Willamette Valley. 

"Conditions are such in Europe as will cause linen manufacturers 
of Ireland and elsewhere, and flax growers of Belgium to come to 
Oregon if the raw material can be produced here. While there is a 
possibility that the result of the year's experiment at Eugene will not 
he all that is hoi)ed for, those who have given the matter the closest 
study are confident that the results will be all that is anticipated and 
that linen manufacturing industries will, within a very few years, be 
located in this vicinity. 

"In this connection, it is cited that flax fibre from Russia could 
easily be brought to the manufacturing industries located in Portland." 



THE OREGiON STATE FLAX PROJECT 

(Statement by Governor James D. WithycomVje) 

"For the purpose of providing employment for the inmates of the 
Oregon State Penitentiary the 1915 Legislature appropriated the sum 
of $50,000, part to be used in establishing and maintaining a flax 
plant at the penitentiary in which prison labor might be utilized. 
About $35,000 of this appropriation was expended for the establish- 
ment of the flax industry, $10,000 of which was invested in the plant 
and the balance for the purchasing of flax straw, etc. 

"The State purchased 5 00 bushels of Riga seed, grown in Michigan, 
and 150 bushels of seed imported from Riga, Russia. This seed was 
sold to farmers at $2.50 per liushel. The crop from the seed was 
l)ulled by convict labor and purchased by the State at $15.00 per ton, 
delivered at the penitentiary. Six hundred thirty-seven bushels of 
seed were sown on 35 7 acres of land and yielded 468 tons of straw 
and 2,235 bushels of seed. The maximum production per acre was four 
tons, running down as low as one ton per acre. 

"Results of last season can scarcely be considered as a fair average 
on account of the fact that the movement was started rather late in 
the season with the consequence that the farmers had already sown 
the most of their best land to other crops and much of the flax was 
sown on rather poorly prepared land, unsuitable for the crop. Farmers 
should have no difficulty under good cultural methods in producing at 
least two tons of straw per acre. 

"Sufficient data as yet are unavailable as to the total production 
of fibre from the straw produced from last year's crop. However, 
from present indications it will yield approximately 46 tons of fibre 
divided about equally between hackled flax and No. 1 and No. 2 tow. 

"There is no question as to the very high quality of flax produced 
in Western Oregon, but there are numerous problems yet to be worked 
out, including labor, systems for retting and disposal of product. 



FLAX BULLETIN 13 

The State has established an excellent plant, employing, when 
operated to its full capacity, one hundred men. This plant is capable 
of handling 2,000 tons of straw annually and it is anticipated that 
about 1,200 tons will be produced in the vicinity of the penitentiary 
this season." 



OBSERVATIONS BY DR. H. L, DEIMEL 

As regards the production and manufacture of flax fibre, Dr. H. L. 
Deimel. president of the Deimel Linen-Mesh Company, of New York, 
San Francisco, Detroit and Montreal, unquestionably is one of the 
most thorough, practical experts in this country, with few equals in any 
part of the world. The Deimel Company has factories at Duren, Rhe- 
nish Prussia, near the Belgian border and close to Aix-la-Chapelle, and 
in England, under the name of the Deimel Fabric Company, at Stoke- 
Newington, for weaving and garment making. Dr. Deimel is the owner 
of all the stock of both the English and the German companies, and he 
is, therefore, as much interested, practically, in the cultivation of flax 
and a knowledge of the locations where the best fibre can be obtained 
and the methods of its production, as in its manufacture. 

Dr. Deimel's knowledge is founded upon observation and experience, 
and he states that some fifteen years ago he procured from the Oregon 
Flax FilM-e Association a lot of prepared flax which was sent to his 
associates in Duren, Germany, for spinning into as high a lea of yarn 
as the quality might justify. This proved to be No. .'>0 warp, which, 
while not a very high number, yet requires a fibre of superior evenness 
and good strength. Continuing, he said: "1 used this yarn in the 
manufacture of my No. 50 linen cloth. Suits of this I sent to a number 
of my friends, some of them in Oregon, besides giving some of the 
garments a personal test. They gave uniform satisfaction, especially 
so from a wearing point of view, showing that the flax had not been 
overspun. I had requested that an average quality of flax should be 
shipped, but in conversation with Mr. Louis Buckless, of Duren, who had 
attended the spinning, I was told that the flax was of such uniform 
length that it could not have possibly grown that way, but must have 
been specially selected. This was strongly contradicted by Mr. Bosse. 
who made the shipment, and I am of the opinion, that, if Mr. Buckless 
could have inspected with me, this summer, the fields of flax around 
Salem, he would have withdrawn his statement. Personally 1 never 
saw a field of flax of such uniform height. 

"There is a general deterioration in the quality of flax produced in 
all European countries — a gradual lowerin,g of quality. Because of 
this, Oregon flax will have a long period of being the best quality — if 
quality is established and carefully maintained. Belgian flax is superior 
to all others in elasticity and strength for spinning. 

"Constant opening up of new land in Oregon will give the best kind 
of land for flax for many years to come, while land in other countries 
is deteriorating. 



14 FLAX BULLETIN 



"There has been a very heavy increase in the market price of flax 
during the past seven years, as may be seen in the following comparative 
statement of the selling prices per ton of four different qualities of flax 
fibre, after having been retted and scutched: 

Livonian K. Pernan D. Coxirtrai Irish 

1908 £20 10s £24 10s £ 60 to 70 £45 to 60 

1909 23 26 5 70 to 78 60 to 70 

1911 26 29 10 90 to 110 85 to 105 

1915 60 68 *150 to 190 90 to 135 

£ equals about $4.80. 

"Oregon flax probably would range between Irish and Courtrai— — 
the latter being the best. That is, it would, provided, of course, that 
proper processes of culture and manufacturing were used. 

"Courtrai flax is the best in the world at present. But the product 
is best when the Courtrai is taken to Belfast to manufacture into thread. 
All the best thread and yarn is made from flax grown and retted in 
Belgium and spun in Belfast. The climatic conditions in Belfast 
together with concentration of skilled lal)or, is the reason for its supe- 
riority, as certain humidity in the atmosphere is necessary for proper 
spinning of the yarn. While they have introduced the moist spray in 
factories producing yarn and use it even in Belfast, the humidity of the 
natural atmosphere still is a very important factor. Indeed this is a 
very important factor. 

"The flax I buy is grown, retted and scutched in Belgium, spun into 
yarn and thread in Belfast and manufactured into underwear in Bel- 
gium, Germany, England, Canada and the United States. 

"Russian flax is not equal to Belgian. It is strong but not fine. 
Austrians produce in their linen the finest damask, from the artistic 
point of view. They have more art instinct than Ireland. Therefore 
Irish linens are not equal to Austrian, artistically considered. But 
Austrian flax is not equal to Irish in its durability. 

"The flax produced in Europe now ranges in number from Nos. 15 
to 250, but 80 per cent of all flax used is between 15 and 50, for spin- 
ning. There is hardly any use for common purposes above No. 100. 
The Pope's robe is made out of No. 250 and cost $5.00 per yard. I 
use from Nos. 50 to 80, mixed with fine Egyptian cotton. The purpose 
of mixture is to give more elasticity to the thread. 

"The usual normal price paid for the straw is from 20 to 26 pounds 
sterling ($96.80 to $125.84) per ton for Russian, and 5 5 to 60 pounds 
($266.20 to $290.40) for the Belgian; Irish from 40 to 45 pounds 
($193.00 to $217.80)." 

Dr. Deimel stated that he purchases annually at present for all his 
companies' products in all countries about $800,000 worth of raw 
material in the shape of flax yarns, and he sells only in Great Britain, 
France, Canada and the United States; that portion of his products 
which went, heretofore, to Germany, was exported from England. The 
output of his factories in recent years has been limited, not, however, 
by the demand, but by his ability to get a proper supply of those quali- 
ties of material needed at reasonable prices, and by "reasonable" he 
said he meant as compared with values up to ten or twelve years ago. 



* Thi.s i.s the price quoted in Rotterdam. 



FLAX BULLETIN 15 



Quoting prices, the doctor said: "If the average price per bundle of 
60,000 yards of yarn has been 5s 7V2d ($1.35), I now pay 9s IVod 
I $2.19); that is, for what may be called superior linen warp. The 
manufacture of thread costs me $2.50 per 88 pounds of yarn, including 
all spooling, etc., and labor. Of this, the direct labor cost would be 
about $2.25. There is less than 1 per cent of waste. 

"In Germany, the girls who make thread are paid 75 cents to 90 
cents per day, while in small places in Germany the women get 45 
cents a day as against 65 cents in Duren, which is a high wage district. 
In Ireland, the girls get 40 cents to 50 cents per day. Men textile work- 
ers receive 7 5 cents to $1.15 in Germany. In the United States, female 
help is one-third higher than in England and 4 to 50 per cent higher 
than on the Continent, while male help in the United States is fully 
100 per cent higher than on the Continent and 50 to 75 per cent higher 
than in England. I make it a rule to employ only natives of the count- 
try — Englishmen In England, Germans in Germany, and Americans in 
the United States. I manufacture thread, weave underwear, towels, 
corset covers, bandages, supporters, etc. 1 have not bought any straw 
or fibre, but contemplate doing so. My associates own spinning mills 
in Germany and employ about 2,200 flax spinners. Most of the flax 
that I use comes from the Courtrai district of Belgium. 

"For retting and scutching, Belgian labor is the most efficient, 
because of development of the community spirit and home industrial 
life. The best work, which produces the best results comes from Bel- 
gium — better than the same class of work done in Ireland. Spinning 
labor is all that the United States must import; other classes of labor 
can be developed with American labor. For beginning, Belgians would 
have to be used for other processes, until labor here learned how. 

"The flax industry in Russia is largely in the Baltic provinces, and 
the production and manufacture is a home industry; i. e., in the homes 
of the people. The principle of the whole operation is the lal)or 
problem. 

"In Oregon, the labor will be a serious problem, in both production 
and manufacture; not merely wages but also settled conditions of pro- 
duction and manufacture. The special skill required has to come as the 
in-oduct of continuous effort in the district. It must be part of the 
community life — must be a 'flax atmosphere.' 

"Artificial drying of straw is as good as the sun, as far as fibre 
goes. Flax does not need curing, like hay; wetting does not hurt, but 
it must be dry to be put through the breaker. Our retting is done by 
the farmer. We buy rough fibre, after retting and scutching. Some of 
the flax people of Ireland are considering seriously doing the retting 
and scutching for themselves at a central plant. Retting is very 
important, as, if it is carried too far, the fibre is attacked and weakened. 
Artificial inoculation of water for retting is all right. 

"In Belgium, there is a tendency to concentrate the retting process 
along the river Lys. Oregon district should have a central point for 
retting, so as to give the product uniformity." 

Dr. Deimel stated, further, that provided the production of good 
fibre is an assured and stable fact, he, together with his friends, would 
seriously consider the establishment in Oregon of a spinning, bleaching 



16 FLAX BULLETIN 



and weaving plant, consuming a minimum of 2,000 tons of fibre a year 
(the product of 3,000 to 4.000 acres) and employing about l.riOO or 
1,600 people. 

The doctor added: "1 have been thinking very seriously that I 
would put up a flax manufacturing plant in Oregon. Not to rett or 
scutch but to buy the fibre and manufacture it into various things. 

"This would include a spinning plant of 12,000 spindles, requiring 
500 horsepower, and would use about seven tons of fibre per day, 
employing about 1,600 people. Such a plant probably would cost, 
including building, machinery, power plant and lands: Building, 
$100,000; machinery. $150,000; power plant, $50,000; total, $300,000. 
Also, $40,000 for a bleaching plant; $250,000 for weaving plant of 600 
looms; $75,000 for building to house employes; $35,000 for land." 



EARLY EFFORTS OF WOMEN TO ESTABLISH THE FLAX 
INDUSTRY IN OREGON 

(By Mrs. Wm. P. Ijord, Salem, Oregon) 

"In accordance with the request of the compilers of the Flax 
Bulletin, I will give a brief history of the work of the women of 
Oregon in their efforts to establish a flax industry. The first one to 
introduce flax to Oregon was Mrs. Owens, who planted seed at Clatsop, 
making fibre and strong twine, establishing an 'entente cordial' with 
the Indians, who gladly bartered fish and game for the twine, and also 
protected herself and family. Mr. Miller, a Kentucky farmer, located 
at Turner, with fine public spirit, sent products of Oregon soil in 187 6 
to the first great exposition, 'The Centennial,' capturing the first prize 
(requiring nine points of superiority). This came as a surprise to for- 
eign manufacturers, one of whom, Mr. Barbour, of Ireland, at once 
sent two experts to Oregon to grow flax, and make fibre for his mill 
in Belfast. This flax straw, grown under supervision, was scutched at 
the penitentiary by convict labor. Mr. Barbour, in letters to the expert, 
which were read by the farmers, some of whom are still living, expressed 
his satisfaction with the fibre, some of which, he claimed was the 
highest grade ever spun in his mill. The fibre, especially noted, was 
grown on the red land, at Waldo Hills. When the second season's 
fibre was ready for shipment, it was destroyed by a fire of unknown 
origin, and the work was discontinued. 

"For the fifteen years following, flax was grown for the seed only, 
straw, the valuable part, being burnt to get rid of it. Mr. Morton, 
Secretary of Agriculture in the Cleveland administration, knowing these 
facts, urged Oregon to diversify wheat with flax. A fibre bureau was 
particularly active, with Mr. Dodge as chief, and the aid of this bureau 
was offered to establish the industry. 

"This suggestion, coming at a time of great depression, involving 
every class, especially the farmer who was facing the difficulty of 
meeting taxes, with wheat at 45 cents a bushel, was welcomed by my 
husband, then Governor of the State, as a solution of a very serious 
problem. To the writer was delegated the task of securing information, 



FLAX BULLETIN 17 



and getting in touch with the fibre bureau. When compiled, facts were 
presented first at a called meeting of the Portland Manufacturers Asso- 
ciation. Invaluable aid was rendered by Mr. Paul Wessinger, whose 
thorough knowledge of the linen industries of Europe, with which he 
had been associated, resulted in an indorsement by the association. The 
Women's Club of Portland named a working committee, which lost no 
time in forming "The Oregon Women's Flax Association." Mr. Henry 
W. Corbett, Mr. Henry Failing and Mrs. Weinhard headed a subscrip- 
tion list for stock. Had it not been for the most generous sums contrib- 
uted by these citizens, who were always alert to help any enterprise 
which promised benefit to their beloved State, this work could not 
have been carried on. Not only money, but business advice, and valua- 
ble time w^as freely given to aid the women in this undertaking. The 
merchants of Portland did all in their power to support the project, as 
well as the citizens generally. 

"Seed was planted, machinery for a scutching mill installed, and 
the women of the association divided the work of supervision. Four 
years of work followed, which was largely experimental, finding out how 
European conditions could be met in an entirely different environment. 
The Irish method, tried the first year, was discarded as unsatisfactory. 
The second year the Belgian method was tried. The fibre bureau sent 
to Belgium and secured the services of the inventor of the best method 
of retting the straw, and paid all the expenses of the experiment, except 
the lumber used in building the tanks, which was done by convict labor, 
on the creek at the penitentiary. The straw was ready for retting in 
July, was made into fibre, sent to Belgium, and returned to the 
association in the shape of choice linen, before January. Fibre from 
this handling was entered at the Paris Exposition in 1900 by Mr. Dodge, 
of the fibre bureau, and took the bronze medal, Mr. Dodge protesting 
that the Oregon product was not rated high enough. Mills in Europe 
were even at that time short on flax fibre, and orders came pouring in 
for which our limited means was a barrier to respond. Had a company 
been formed at that time, taking over our stock, with the advantage of 
all the experiments of four years of gratuitous work and well formu- 
lated plans, today we would be 'pointing with pride' to our great 
linen industries. The eastern mills had no use for home-grown fibre, 
especially so from a state to which they were selling millions annually 
of the products of flax fibre, in the shape of seine twine, and bag 
sewing twine. Never did the association receive a line of recognition 
to samples sent, or were we able to dispose of one pound of fibre in 
our own country for making into linen or twine. And here was the 
anomaly — Europe almost demanding our fibre, and our own country 
refusing it. Under these conditions, the association w^as obliged to 
suspend operations, but not until it had made known to every linen 
manufacturing country of Europe, that Oregon is the true home of the 
finest flax grown. To the ladies of this association is due the honor of 
introducing the culture of flax successfully in Oregon. The list: Mrs. 
Lord, first president of the association; Mrs. O. N. Denny, Mrs. Card, 
Mrs. Pittock, Mrs. Stearns, Mrs. Burrell, Mrs. Ben Selling, Mrs. Tilton, 
all of Portland; Mrs. Wallace and Mrs Gilbert, of Salem." 



18 FLAX BULLETIN 



Soil Preparation, Planting, Harvesting, Crop Rotation 

A WKOXG IMPRESSION 

The more or less prevalent idea that flax is "hard on the land" is a 
mistake. It is not. 

This mistaken belief arose from the practice of farmers, who grew 
the crop for tlie seed only, of persisting in growing it year after year 
on the same ground. As a result the ground became inpregnated with 
flax-wilt or some other flax diseases that caused poor crops. The 
farmer was to blame — not the flax. 

With certain soils fla.x is ahsohitely heneficial. There is no other 
ci'op which will so thoroughly and quickly break up new land. 

The United States Department of Agriculture is authority for the 
statement that many common crops remove more fertility from the 
soil than does flax: 

"A corn crop removes one-half more nitrogen, twice as much potash, 
and about the same amount of phosporic acid, while a good oat crop 
removes practically the same amount of nitrogen and phosphoric acid 
and about three-quarters more potash than a flax crop. Compared with 
wheat, flax removes less phosphoric acid and potash per acre, and about 
one-half more nitrogen. Potatoes remove about the same amount of 
phosphoric acid, about one-third less nitrogen, and nearly three times 
more i)otash per acre than the average flax crop. In flax growing the 
heaviest draft falls upon the nitrogen, but one fair crop of clover will 
more than return all the nitrogen removed in two crops of flax." 

Rotate your crops. 



Indiscriminate i)lanting of flax should not l)e i)racticed, but suit- 
able soil carefully selected and the planting done only by those thor- 
oughly familiar with the crop or under the supervision of some one 
who has had experience. This applies especially to flax that is grown 
for the fibre and cannot be too strongly emphasized. The same neces- 
sity for knowledge and correct methods applies to the preparation of 
the fibre after the crop is harvested. In marketing the product, there 
should be a definite organization serving the growers so that the 
business may be handled with skill, economy and to the profit of all 
concerned. 

If flax is grown for the seed alone, less care is required and the soil 
need not be so carefully selected and jtrepared. But even in this 
branch of the Industry experience, knowledge and ability will make 
their clear showing on the right side of the ledger. 

Indiscriminate and inexpert attempts at flax culture and 
manufacture unquestionably would result in failure. 



(In addition to the bulletins of the United State.s Department of Agriculture 
that will be sent upon request to supplement this bulletin, the following sug- 
gestions are given as applying more particularly and specifically to Oregon 
conditions.) 



FLAX BULLETIN 19 



(By l-'idft'ssov IF. T. Kvpnch. of the ()r(Ki>n AKriciilluriU Kxperimeiit 
St;itioti, (^orvallis. Ores'on ) 

•'Soil intended for flax growing should be plowed as deep as possible 
the preceding fall or winter and cross-plowed again to a depth of 5 or 
6 inches. If possible, subsoiling should be practiced. The surface of 
the soil should be thoroughly pulverized before seeding. It is safe to 
roll only late in the season after the time when heavy rains may occur. 

"Weeds must not be i)ermitted in the flax field. 

"The following crop rotation is presented as one of the best adapted 
to Western Oregon: (1) wheat; (2) oats and barley; (3) clover and 
grasses; (4) clover and grasses; (5) corn and potatoes; (6) flax. The 
object of the cultivated crops in the rotation and in the order given is 
to clean the ground of weeds. By placing such crops immediately pre- 
ceding the flax this object will be better obtained than when they occur 
earlier in the course. 

"Manure which is intended to benefit the flax crop should be applied 
preceding the flax, unless some commercial fertilizer is used. It should 
be thoroughly incorporated with the soil before the flax seed is sown. 
Commercial fertilizers are used quite extensively in the flax districts of 
Europe. 

"From all the sources of information it is safe to conclude that the 
flax crop has been charged with greater power of exhausting the soil than 
it possesses. On the other hand, on account of its delicate feeding pro- 
pensities, it should not be compelled to search for its food where only 
a scanty supply is found. One fair crop of clover will more than return 
all the nitrogen removed in two crops of flax, and in flax growing the 
heaviest draft falls on nitrogen. 

"From the information at our command we would conclude that not 
less than two bushels of seed to the acre should be sown, and we are 
inclined to think that two and one-half bushels to the acre will give 
better results. When flax is sown for seed alone, three-quarters of a 
bushel per acre is enough. 

"Broadcast seeding is generally recommended. A light smoothing 
harrow is sufficient to cover the seed, but if the ground is not thor- 
oughly pulverized a second harrowing may be needed. This may be 
followed by the roller, which hastens germination. It is important 
that the plants should come up as evenly as possible, or they will not 
all mature at the same time. Under average climatic conditions we do 
not believe that it is safe to sow flax seed in the Willamette Valley 
before the first of May. 

"The success of the flax industry is controlled very largely by 
natural conditions. There are only a few localities in the world where 
the highest degree of success can be obtained, and some of these are 
losing their prestige on account of no longer being able to produce the 
most desirable results. The conditions of soil and climate during 
the period of growth and extending through the preparation of the 
fibre have a marked influence upon the quality of the product. 

"The fibre from which linen fabric finally is wrought is a delicate 
vegetable organism which is easily ruined by bad management or 
unfavorable conditions. It is not expected that the farmer will go 
further than to raise the straw. From this stage on the work can 
better be handled by the manufacturer, or in plants established for the 
l)urpose of jireparing the fibre for manufacturing." 



20 FLAX BULLETIN 



(By Eugene Bosse, a Belgian flax expert with over fifty years' 
experience in tlie flax industry) 

"The question often has come to my mind why Oregon — which is a 
second Belgium as to climate, soft water and proper land for the pro- 
duction of fine flax- has not gone into the flax industry on an 
extensive scale. 

"Many efforts have been made during the past fifteen years or 
more to push and develop the industry. Some of these efforts failed on 
account of insufficient knowledge of both growing and manufacture; 
others by lack of sufficient capital, accidents and other outside causes; 
and still others because the old European system of harvesting and 
caring for the crop was followed or attempted. The American is not 
willing to pull the flax by hand and do all the tedious hand work that 
is done in Europe by boys, girls, men and women for wages of twenty 
to sixty cents for ten hours' work. If the industry is to be successful 
in this country other methods must be found and followed. They have 
been found, and they can be followed successfully by anyone who is 
careful to work according to instructions. 

"As a matter of fact, the growing of flax is extremely easy, simple 
and feasible, and it requires little, if any, more work than other crops 
and pays very much better on the average. 

"Preparing- the Land — The land intended for flax should be selected 
in the fall and should be clean land, rich enough to make a good crop 
of wheat; well drained; not too sandy. Whenever possible the preceding 
crop should have been one requiring cultivation, such as corn or 
potatoes; clover, hay or pasture, or grain are good rotating crops for 
flax land. The field should be plowed six to eight inches deep in 
November or December and allowed to rest until dry in March. It then 
should be cultivated twice, deep and crossways; allowed to rest another 
two weeks, when it should be harrowed deej) and crossways, and then 
left until ready to se«d, the first part of April. The land must be well 
refined before seeding. It is very important to keep flax as free as 
possible from weeds. These preparations and precautions always should 
be observed if success is to be attained. 

"Seeding — If the crop is to he grown for seed alone, three-quarters 
of a bushel i)er acre is sufficient. But growing flax for fibre is a very 
much more jjrofitable crop and for this there should be sown 90 to 
100 pounds of good, clean foreign seed to the acre. In normal times, 
Belgian, Dutch or Russian seed can be had for about $3.00 a bushel in 
the New York or Boston markets. This seed is good for three sowings — 
that is, the original sowing and the seed from the two succeeding 
crops. After the third crop new seed should be secured. 

"The seed may be drilled or broadcasted, the latter probably being 
the better for fibre flax. The seed should be covered evenly to a depth 
of one to one and one-half inches, and, when the land is dry, rolled. 

"Reaping — In the harvesting of flax there is no difference in the 
quality of that pulled and that which is cut. The only difference in 
these two methods is that there is a loss by cutting in the quantity, but 
this is so slight- — from one-fifteenth to one-twentieth — that it is more 
than offset by the added cost of pulling. If the ground is properly 
prepared and level this loss amounts to very little, since there is a 



FLAX BULLETIN 



21 




EUGENE BOSSE, FLAX EXPERT OF FIFTY YEARS EXPERIENCE IN 

BELGIUM AND UNITED STATES, IN CHARGE OF WORK 

FOR EUGENE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 



Mr. Eugene Bosse, the Belgian flax expert who has had fifty years 
of experience in the culture and manufacture of flax, says: 

"Oregon has the proper soil, the climate and the water — the three 
essentials for flax growing, and all that is needed, if they are made use 
of as they should be. We can grow just as good flax in Oregon as in 
the famous Courtrai district of Belgium, or any other place in the world, 
if we go at it right." 



22 FLAX BULLETIN 



knot in the flax stalk, about one inch above the ground, below which 
there is no fibre at all. It takes a man five days to pull one acre of 
flax, while at least six acres can be cut in a day with a team, and with 
two men following to clean up when it is first grade flax cut with a 
dropping machine. 

"When the flax is sufficiently dry It is raked and put into small 
shocks to get dry enough to he threshed. It then may be sent to the 
nearest mill, either loose or baled, to be threshed, retted, scutched and 
manufactured or shipped. 

"Retting — Water retting — either river or tank — is very much better 
than dew retting. Water-retted flax is of a very much better color — a 
clear golden — while dew-retted flax is very apt to be discolored and 
interior. As a rule water-retted flax is worth about fifty per cent more 
than dew-retted. 

"Grades — Flax is, as a rule, divided into three grades. The first 
grade of flax must be clean, not less than 28 inches long, with the 
bolls off, cut straight and even, bound and shocked. Of this there 
should be from two to two and three-quarters tons of straw to the acre, 
which will bring .$20 to $30 per ton. 

"The second grade is tolerably clean, less than 28 and more than 
15 inches long. May be cut with a mower and drawn outside of the 
next row. In two days, when dried, it may be raked like hay, and 
when dry enough threshed with an ordinary thresher with the concave 
teeth taken off and replaced by hard wood pieces, which saves cutting 
the straw. This straw may be spread on the ground with a manure 
spreader about two or three inches thick and when retted and dry 
raked ui> like hay and brought to the mill. 

"The third grade may be generalized as waste. This should amount 
to only a very small percentage of the crop, grown in poor spots or 
damaged. It should be dealt with same as grade two, and will bring 
about $10 per ton for bagging, upholstery tow, etc. 

"Don't grow flax on poorly drained land. 
"Don't grow flax on white clay. 
"Don't grow flax on sour or sad land. 
"Don't grow flax on muck of any kind. 
"Don't grow flax on land dirty with weeds. 

"A good crop of flax cannot be produced on a poor, wet, sour, weedy, 
dirty or half pulverized soil any more than can a good wheat crop." 



FLAX BULLETIN 



23 



Costs, Production, Markets, Prices, Profits, Etc. 

(In the following it will be noted that there is some variation in costs nro 
cliu-t.on. prices and profits per acre, but this is natural s nee no two ni^/es of 
ground and no two men will yield exactly the same re.sul s is much 1, pen Is 
upon the man as upon the ground.) mutii uc p. ndh 

The Department of Agriculture says (applicable to the present 
condition in Oregon for the culture of fibre flax) : 

"As the case stands, the farmer is hardly in a position to grow flax 
save in an experimental way until he is sure of a market, and the 
manufacturer, that is, the spinner, is not in a position to make offers 
ot purchase or to name a price, because he is not sure that the farmer 
can or will grow flax of the proper standard, or that he can afford to 
purchase at any price, for his particular manufacture, such flax as the 
farmer may produce. This simply means that what isolated farmers 
cannot accomplish alone must be accomplished by the establishment of 
little local industries. That is to say, capital must establish scutch 
mills in localities where flax may be profitably grown, farmers of the 
neighborhood agreeing to produce 5, 10 or 20 acres of straw each 
under the direction, if need be, of the managers of the mills, to insure 
the growth of a quality of straw that will give the proper standard of 
fibre. It means that there is a necessity for a class of skilled workers 
who will come between the farmer and manufacturer in carrying on the 
operations of retting and scutching. It is futile to expect the farmer 
to ret and scutch his flax. By such cooperative arrangement the farmer 




FLAX FIELD NEAR SALEM. OREGON— STATE PROJECi 



24 FLAX BULLETIN 



is relieved from any responsibility in the matter, further than to pro- 
duce a proper crop of straw. One good scutch mill will produce the 
flax grown on a score or more of farms. 

"Local conditions will, in a measure, affect and give direction to 
the forms of culture and methods of handling the jiroduct. And in 
time, when experiment shall have determined which is the best prac- 
tice for a given section, it will he followed, naturally, and a standard 
form of flax for this section will l)e the result, which will be recognized 
by the flax-buyers, and which will take its legitimate position among 
commercial products. 

"The scutch or tow mills attend to the retting and cleaning of the 
fibre, which in turn is sold to the spinner. One good scutching mill 
will prepare the flax grown on a score or more of farms, and as the 
work is accomplished under one direction, or head, the product will be 
far more even, as to standards, than would be possible were it prepared 
by twenty men. 

"Let him put in only a few acres of flax seed (say three or four 
acres) for fibre, at first, regarding it wholly as an experiment. When 
he has gained knowledge, and the different wheels in the flax industry 
have been i)ut in position, and are beginning to move, he will know 
something then of the demand for flax fibre, and he can extend flax 
culture accordingly. 

"Our farmers must know the difference between poorly grown and 
prepared flax, which is worthless for any purpose, and the grade of flax 
Avhich a little better practice will give them, and which will be salable 
for some purpose. This information can not be obtained by them 
through the medium of the published literature of the subject, alone. 
Object lessons, in many instances, will be necessary, with opportunity to 
ask questions and examine and handle the well-grown product. 

"Appreciating the situation, Canada already is looking forward to a 
time when they will be able to find in Europe a considerable market for 
Canadian-grown flax. We are not even growing what coarse flax we 
require to supply our flax-twine mills. 

"The farmer has little incentive to grow flax until a market is 
assured, and a market can only be assured when scutch mills have been 
established to take the i)roduct off his hands when grown, and put it 
into a marketable condition. There should be good scutch mills in 
every flax-growing locality. With the establishment of these mills in 
considerable numbers, the farmer will be ready to raise flax for fibre, 
the manufacturers will avail themselves of the home supply, and the 
industry will be placed on a substantial footing. Small beginnings have 
been made, but there is a field for a larger enteriirise in this direction, 
in which capital must lend a heli)ing- hand. 

"The importance of re-establishing the flax-fibre industry in the 
United States will be fully appreciated by a perusal of the tables of 
imports of flax fibre and its manufacture in recent years. There is food 
for thought in the statement that these imports amount to over sixteen 
million dollars, in a single year, nearly two millions of this value 
representing raw flax fibre. 

"Flax is now cultivated in the West l)y hundreds of thousands of 
acres for its seed only; but successful experiments have demonstrated 
the adaptal)ility of our lands and climate to the growtli of as good flax 
as may be demanded for any kind of linen." 



FLAX BULLETIN 25 



In an experiment by a skilled flax grower of Wisconsin, a profit of 
$229 was shown on a six-acre tract, and $60 of this sum was received 
for seed, at $1.00 a bushel. The expenses per acre, including retting 
and scutching (the latter costing $20 an acre), amounted to a little 
more than $39 an acre. The flax produced was worth eleven cents per 
pound. 



The Portland Linseed Oil Works, of Portland, Oregon, will furnish 
seed at market prices to growers and contract with them for their 
entire crops. They are at present (March, 1916) guaranteeing a mini- 
mum price of $1.25 per bushel when harvested, and are taking the 
matter u)) with their eastern connections with a view to increasing this 
guarantee to, say $1.40 per bushel. This guarantee, of course, is for 
the purpose of affording a prospective grower absolute protection to 
the extent of the guarantee, so that' in case anything unexpected should 
happen to the flaxseed market, they will pay the minimum price that 
they guarantee, even though the ruling market price is much less at the 
time the crop is harvested and ready for market. The present market 
price, however, is $2.40, with every prospect of a continued rise in 
price, so this minimum guarantee will not cut much figure under pres- 
ent conditions. The Portland Linseed Oil Works paid last year as high 
as 2.10% per bushel. The following table shows the prices of flax 
seed on the dates named: 

June 1, 1914 $1.60V2 

August 1, 1914 1.681/2 

October 1, 1914.... 1.38 

January 1, 1915 1.6014: 

January 1, 1916 2.17% 

February 14, 1916 2.331/2 

March, 1916 2.40 

The Portland Linseed Oil Works are at present drawing their supply 
of seed from the territory west of Havre, in Montana. Large quanti- 
ties also are brought from Manchuria, China. 

The present high price is due to shortage of crop in the United 
States and inability to obtain the seed from foreign countries, linseed 
oil being regarded as a contraband of war. Excessive increase in 
freight rates also discourage the importation of seed. In 1910, freight 
rates on flaxseed from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to New York, was 15i/^ 
cents per bushel; it is now 60 cents per bushel. There is also a tariff 
of 20 cents per bushel on flaxseed. This company is now importing 
considerable seed from Manchuria; they liave 900 tons on the way at 
the present time. They have some samples of fibre flax seed from 
China, which is of very poor quality, and represents the kind of flax 
used in the linen industry of China. 

Mr. Eugene Bosse made the following showing as the result of his 
cultivation of six acres of flax at Green Bay, Wisconsin. Mr. Bosse 
retted and scutched the flax on his own ground, and shipped it direct 
to the manufacturers: 



26 FLAX BULLETIN 



Sowed nine bushels Belgian seed, at $1.50 per bushel $ 13.50 

Pulling by hand 32.59 

Binding and sheltering 5.00 

Threshing by hand 20.6-'; 

Retting on the ground 19.40 

Scutching 120.83 

Shipping 10.00 

Freight to Boston, about 30.00 

1251.97 

Cost per acre $ 42.00 

Product : 

60 bushels seed, valued at $1.00 $ 60.00 

600 pounds tow, 2 cents per pound 12.00 

3,718 pounds fibre, at 11 cents per pound, as offered by manufacturers, 

Ross, Turner & Co., of Boston 408.98 

$480.98 

Net profit $229.01 

Net profit per acre $ 38.17 

(Note that in the above cost estimate most of the labor was done by hand, 
an addition to the total cost which would be largely obviated by reaping and 
thresliing by machinery.) 

While a grower who disposes of his crop in the form of straw 
receives much less for his product than the man who rets his straw 
and turns it into fibre, it should be borne in mind that the grower in 
the first instance relieves himself of considerable extra labor and 
expense — and oftentimes the possibility of failure — which would largely 
offset the advantage of the better prices he might receive for his crop 
in the form of fibre. 

Mr. Bosse states that it is possible to produce from two to two 
and three-quarter tons of first grade fibre straw per acre in Oregon, 
and that this fibre straw, exclusive of the seed, will bring a price of 
$20 to $30 per ton. (This, of course, is before it is retted, scutched, or 
in any way treated, and rei)resents its value after it has simply been 
cut and dried, and the seed bolls removed.) Mr. Bosse also states that 
good foreign seed may be purchased in Boston at $3.00 per bushel. 

The cost of planting, cultivating, harvesting and hauling one acre 
of ordinary seed flax is shown as ranging from $10 to $12. Allowing 
for the increased cost of fibre flax seed and the extra expense of culti- 
vating and handling a crop of fibre flax, a fair approximate cost per 
acre would be $20. 

Assuming that two tons of fibre straw are produced, also twenty 
bushels of seed, the result would be: 

20 bushels seed, at $3.00 (50.00 

2 tons fibre straw, at say $25.00 _ $50.00 

$110.00 
Cost 20.00 



Profit per acre .-. $ 90.00 

Portland Linseed Oil "Works state that they paid $2.00 for the seed 
grown by the State at Salem. This price was based ou the amount of 
oil contained in the seed. 

The following statement by Mr. Bosse shows the profit to be made 
in the work of retting, scutching, etc. Mr. Bosse has already stated 



FLAX BULLETIN 27 



that first grade fibre straw will sell for $20 to $30 per ton, after being 
cut and before being subjected to retting, scutching or any other process 
of preparation for marlvet. 

Assuming that man who prepares the fibre for marltet pays the 
grower $20 per ton for his straw, the following figures show the result 
of his worlc: 

2.000 pounds flax straw, cost per ton $20.00 

],.tOO pounds after being threshed, cost of threshing 2.00 

1,050 pounds after retting, costing of retting 8.00 

241 pounds *fibre at cost of 5 cents per pound to scutch 12.05 

Extra expense 2.00 

Total cost of 241 pounds fibre $44.05 

Credit by four bushels seed „ 6.00 

Net cost $38.05 

(Or 15.79 cents per pound.) 

The fibre will bring 23 cents per pound at Belfast, at prices prevailing before 
the war. 



Emil J. Hanset, flax expert, of Salem, Oregon, says that there is 
better flax land in the Willamette Valley than in any part of Belgium, 
and from land of this character two and one-half to three tons of fibre 
straw should be produced per acre. It is called straight or tangled flax, 
according to the way it is harvested and handled. The straight fibre 
means considerably more labor but is worth $200 to $300 per ton, 
while the tangled (harvested like hay) is worth only $100 to $160 per 
ton. 

Mr. Hanset gives the following figures on the cost and return for 
the planting of one acre of flax: 

COST AND RETURN FOR FLAXSEED ALONE 
' (Based on breaking raw land with power plow) 

Plowing, two discings, two harrow, sowing with drill or broadcast, and 

then rolling, per acre .- $ 4.00 

Seed, one bushel at, per acre 1.75 

Hauling seed eight miles, per acre 25 

Rental value of land, or interest on investment, per acre 3.00 

Cutting and raking, per acre - .- 75 

Stacking, per acre 1.00 

Threshing, at 10 cents per bushel, per acre 1.50 

Total cost, per acre $12.25 

Estimate of fifteen bushels to the acre sell for $1.40 per bushel $21.00 

Less cost, per acre 12.25 

Net profit, per acre $ 8.7.') 

Add to the foregoing $10 per acre for the ton of straw — f. o. b. 
factory : 

TO MANUFACTURE STRAW FROM SEED FIBRE 
(Estimate one ton of tow from two acres) 

Baling, per ton of tow $ 2.00 

Hauling and freight, per ton - 1.00 

Manufacturing cost, per ton 15.00 

Loading, per ton 50 

Total $18.50 

* It will be seen that one ton, or 2,000 pounds of flax straw will produce 241 
poimd.'r- of finished fibre. 



28 FLAX BULLETIN 



Tow is worth $60 per ton f. o. b. Eugene, which shows profit of 
$41.50, or $20.75 per acre. This added to i)rofit from seed shows 
$29.50 net profit per acre. 

Mr. Hanset further states that twenty-five to thirty-five million 
dollars worth of flax fibre is used annually in the United States, for 
nets, twines, etc., alone, not including any woven goods. 

Flax fibre has been sold for as high as $1,500 a ton by Mr. Lopens, 
of Belgium. He used a system of retting by running water, in imitation 
of river action. 



The following figures are given as an illustration of the approximate 
cost and possible profit to be derived from the cultivation of one acre 
of flax grown for seed. Two sets of figures are given, one based upon a 
yield of fifteen bushels to the acre, the other upon a yield of twenty 
bushels to the acre. The possible profits are also shown, based upon 
two prices, $2.00 and $2.40 per bushel: 

PROFIT ]N GROWING FLAX SEED 

Co.st per acre on production of fifteen bushels and twenty biisliels. 

Id Bushels iO BnahcJs 

Plowing . $ 3.00 $ 3.00 

Seed (one and three-quarter bushels to acre) 4.10 4.10 

Drilling ..50 .50 

Harrowing .."lO ..50 

Sacks (or can be rented for Ic per bushel) 1.50 2.00 

Cutting .50 .50 

Threshing 1.20 1.60 

Hauling to thresher .50 .50 

Loading on cars ; .30 .40 

Freight to Portland 1.50 2.00 

Tot;il cost per acre, f. o. b. Portland $13.60 $1510 

If sold at $2.00 per bushel, the profit per acre would be: 

15 bushels at $2.00 $3(».00 

Cost 13.60 

Profit per acre $16.40 

20 bushels at $2.00 ... $40.00 

Cost 15.10 

Profit per acre $24.90 

If sold at $2.40 per bushel, the profit per acre would be: 

15 bushels at $2.4 $36.00 

Cost 13.60 

Profit per acre $22.40 

20 bushels at $2.40 - $4 8.00 

Cost 15.10 

Profit per acre $32.00 

There should also be at least one and one-half tons of straw per 
acre, which, if in the vicinity of a tow mill, could be sold for from 
$2.50 to $3.50 per ton, loose, for manufacture into packing material 
for crockery, glassware, etc., and into upholstery tow. 

These prices refer to the very lowest grade of straw. The tow 
commands a much higher price, from $16 up. 



FLAX BULLETIN 



29 



The flax committee of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce made 
the following approximate estimate of the probable costs and returns 
to the farmer from flax culture, selling the straw to the scutching 
mill without retting or other treatment, l)ut simply as it comes from 
the fields: 

COST TO FARMER PER ACRE 

Plowing $ li.Od 

Harrowing 2. do 

Seed, at $2.00 per bushel 4.00 

Planting 50 

Cutting ; 1.00 

Hauling _ 4.00 

Total $13.'.0 

RECEIPTS PER ACRE 

Setd. 1 l)u.slifls. at $2.00 $20.00 

Straw. 2 ton.'^, at $15.00 30.00 

Total $50.0(1 

E^xpense ; 13.50 

Ntt i-eturn $36.50 

While some of the items in the above ma.v vary in individual 
instances it is safe to say that the net return is a conservative estimate 
of what may l)e expected under present conditions and prices. 




DEMONSTRATION OF METHOD OF PUDLIN(; 

SALEM, OREGON 



T^AX—STATE PRO.) ICCT, 



30 



FLAX BULLETIN 



Golden flax seed grown at Brownsville, Oregon, yielded sixteen 
bushels to an acre, after cleaning, and produced 22 pounds of oil per 
bushel. The average yield of oil is between eighteen and one-half and 
nineteen pounds. 



The American Thread Company is prepared to use fibre to the extent 
of 2,000,000 acres annually. 



The yield per acre in North Dakota is from nine to fourteen bushels 
per acre. A North Dakota farmer considers that if he raises nine 
bushels per acre and receives $1.00 per bushel, he is making money. 



A flax crop in Oregon, grown as a combination of seed and tow, can 
be made a very profitable one. 



The fibre obtained from seed flax is known as tow, and is used for 
upholstery stuffing, crockery and glassware packing, etc., and is worth 
$60 or more per ton. 




HARVESTING FLAX NEAR SALEM, OREGON — STATE PROJECT 



FLAX BULLETIN 31 



THE DEMAND FOR FLAX 

(From the EYigene "Registei-," March 17, 1916) 

"Eastern linen factories have enough flax on hand to last them until 
May, and after that the buyers do not know where they are going to 
procure any more flax unless some change takes place in the present 
state of international trade conditions with the belligerent countries, 
according to Professor Lawrence S. Mayo, of Harvard University, whose 
father is treasurer of one of the large linen factories in Massachusetts, 
the center of the linen manufacturing district in this country: 

" 'Now and for some time past it has been difficult for the linen 
factories to get flax and the question has been keeping them on edge 
for some time,' said Professor Mayo. 'Since the supply from Belgium 
was cut short, a trade with Russia was started. Then England began 
holding up the shipments and taking charge of them for her own 
manufacture. It has been necessary for the linen manufactories to get 
in touch with their congressmen at Washington, who then see Secretary 
Lansing, who secures England's permission to let a shipment of flax 
through to this country. It is becoming almost impossible to receive 
any shipments at all. Shortly after the war began all flax trade with 
Belgium, the main source, was shut off. 

" 'England desires the flax for aeroplane manufacture, as linen 
aeroplane wings are said to be the best. It is understood that she is 
manufacturing many of them for war use.' " 



(Extract from Great Falls Daily Tribune, March 19, 1916) 

"The Northern Flax Fiber Company, with its plant at Conrad, 
Montana, has invested for development work for the construction of 
its mill for perfecting its processes and for other purposes up to this 
time about $90,000. It has full confidence in its processes as well as 
in the excellence of the territory adjacent to its mill for the production 
of a high grade of flax. 

"A small acreage of flax was raised last year, and the company now 
has on hand sufficient straw to make about 125 tons of line and tow. 
One carload of flax consisting of 16 tons has been shipped to Belfast, 
Ireland, to the York Street Flax Spinning Company. The officials of 
the local company have been notified by this company that efforts are 
l)eing made through the government to provide vessel room for prompt 
shipment of more flax as soon as it is ready, and the local company 
has been urged to have all the flax raised that can be raised this year, 
because of the extraordinary demand for it on account of the war and 
the good prices prevailing. 

"The company has men now obtaining contracts for flax this year, 
and expects to have from 3,000 to 4,000 acres grown. This acreage will 
produce all the flax that can be handled by the company in its single 
mill. 

"The company pays $15 a ton for the flax unthreshed. Farmers 
raise from two to three and one-half tons to the acre, though under 
experimental conditions the yields in the state have been much higher. 
The company makes no claim, however, that the farmer inexperienced 



32 



FLAX BULLETIN 



in the production of this crop will raise more than the tonnage stated, 
though it is believed that the production will be gradually increased as 
the farmers become more familiar with the crop. 

"The company, in addition to guaranteeing to take all the flax 
srown by the farmer at $15 per ton, guarantees to each farmer who 
follows directions in the handling and irrigating of the crop a revenue 
of $15 an acre. The company also takes a hail insurance of $15 an 
acre on each acre of flax planted for it and turns it over to the farmer 
without expense. 

"Last year only three farmers failed to grow sufficient flax to yield 
them an income of $15 an acre, and the company was required to pay 
out because of its guarantee only $24.85. One farmer had a revenue of 
$39.22 an acre from his crop; another $27.67 and another $25.88. 
The majority of the farmers growing flax last year got a revenue from 
the land cultivated of $20 an acre or more. 

"The company has experts in the production of flax to instruct the 
farmers about every detail of the work from the preparation of the 
seed bed to the harvesting of the crop. The company also furnishes the 
seed, charging the growers the market price for it. 

"The special advantage which the local company claims over other 
companies, and particularly over the comjjanies producing the same 
class of fibre it produces, is the secret |)rocess for retting the flax. 
Under the old system of dew retting it required from five to eight weeks 
to get the flax straw in proper condition to take the fibre from them, 
while under the system employed by the Northern Company the straw 
is prepared for stripping in about three days. 

"Flax requires about the same cultivation as wheat or other grain, 
so that the farmer can produce a large acreage at small expense. It 
demands ))ut little from the soil, leaving the land after a crop is grown 
but little different in productive elements as when the crop was planted. 
A table prepared by Professor Snyder of the Montana state college shows 
that flax takes less from the soil than any crop grown extensively in 
this territory. Comparisons are made with wheat, barley, oats, peas 
and potatoes and flax is last on the list in the amount of the elements of 
fertility taken from the soil." 



FREIGHT RATES 

(By J. H. Lothrop, Secretary Traffic and Transportation Bureau, 
Portland Chamber of Commerce) 

"The present freight rates from Portland to New York are as 
follows: 



COMMODITY 


Rail Rail 
Per 100 lbs. | Per 100 lbs. 




LCL 


CL LCL 


CL 


Fibre, flax compressed in bales, 24 M minimum 


$3.20 
1.50 
2.25 
3.20 


$1.00 
1.25 
1.52 
2.25 


$ .80 

.90 

.80 

1.00 


$ .45 


Flax seed in packages, 30 M minimum 


.60 


Flax, straw, unthreshed, in packages, 24 M minimum... 
Flax, tow, in packages, 22 M minimum 


.45 

1.00 







FLAX BULLETIN 33 



"It is difficult, to guess wliat rates may l)e expected to be in effect 
under normal conditions via the Panama Canal. Generally siieakin?, 
the present rates by water as shown above average closely to rates on 
other articles upon which the competition has been keen. Further 
reductions would dejjend upon the volume of traffic and the 
comjjetition for business. 

"For a rate from New York to Belfast, we are advised that at present 
steamship lines will not quote through rates to Belfast, Ireland. The 
present rate to Liverpool is 7 9 cents per cubic foot, which would mean 
about $1.00 per cubic foot from New York to Belfast. At normal 
times the rate from New York to Belfast via Liverpool would be 2 2 
cents to 25 cents per cubic foot." 



FKKDIN(i VALUE OF FLAX STRAW 

The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station states that 
thoroughly ri])ened flax straw has but slight feeding value. When, 
however, the straw is cut green, it is the concensus of opinion that the 
feeding value is high. Some who have fed large herds of stock place it 
almost as high in forage value as alfalfa or clover hay. This is probably 
exaggerating its value but existing data indicates that the average flax 
straw, when properly used, is a valuable asset for feeding stock. It is 
important that the stock should be well salted and have free access to 
a good water supply and that the straw should be fed in association with 
other types of roughage. 

Many farmers have cut green flax and used it as hay without injury 
when it is i)roperly sun-cured. Numerous others have turned their 
stock into flax stubble and unharvested flax with good results. 

The conclusion seems to be that flax straw is a valuable forage, 
quite nutritious and beneficial, particularly to cattle — not harmful if 
fed Avith reasonable care. 



Extracts from Letters 

( Hhowing Market Con(lition.s in the United States) 

United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry 

— ^"The term flax tow is commonly used to designate several different 
products from flax plants. In the upholstering trade it means the fibre 
roughly prepared from seed flax, or from coarse fibre flax, to be used 
in upholstering furniture, car seats, automobile cushions, etc. In the 
spinning trade it means the short fibre combed out in the various pro- 
cesses of preparing the long fibre for spinning, and by the flax-fibre 
producers it usually means either the scutching tow, which is the fibre 
beaten off in scutching the long fibre, or the hackled tow, which is 
combed out in hackling the fibre after it has been scutched. 

"Upholstering tow is produced most extensively as a kind of by- 
product at the insulating fibre mills at St. Paul and Winona, Minnesota. 
It is made at these large mills from seed-flax straw which is found to be 
not suitable for the preparation of a better grade of fibre, to be used in 



34 FLAX BULLETIN 



insulating board. Upholstering tow is also produced by several small 
mills scattered throughout the seed-flax growing region of Minnesota 
and the Dakotas. 

"Most of the upholstering tow is prepared from straw that has been 
grown primarily for seed production and has been threshed by ordinary 
grain threshing machines. It is run through a series of fluted rollers, 
usually followed by a shaking or beating device, but no attempt is made 
to beat out all of the shives. A ton of straw will produce from 1,200 
to 1,600 pounds of upholstering tow. This material commands a price 
of $30 to $40 per ton, delivered at the factories where it is to be used. 

"Small quantities of tow prepared in the same manner, only run 
through the machine three or more times to beat out more of the 
shives, are now being used by large paper mills in New England States 
in the manufacture of counter boards for heels and box toes of shoes. 

"The normal prices of fibre for si)inning purposes range from 7 to 12 
cents per pound for the tow, and 15 to 20 cents per pound for the line 
fibre. At the present time these i)rices are nearly doubled, owing to 
the difficulty of securing the usual supplies from Russia and Belgium. 

"The principal markets for spinning flax in this country are in New 
England, New York and New .Jersey. The largest mills are at Paterson. 
New Jersey; Andover, Fall River, Webster, Millbury, and North Graf- 
ton, Massachusetts: and Aul)urn, Greenwich, and Schaghticoke, New 
York. There are about twenty flax spinning mills in this country. The 
only company on the Pacific Coast using flax fibre is the Oakland Cotton 
Mills, Oakland, California. 

"Flax fibre is not quoted in any of the markets in this country, and 
so far as I am aware quotations can only be obtained by direct corres- 
pondence with the producers." 



Will IJpiiian, of Ijipinaii, Wolfe & Co., Poitlaiul, Ore., June 3, 1916 — 

"Reports of the development of flax around Eugene have reached 
the East and inquiries from the largest Scotch, English, and Irish linen 
houses have been made through their representatives. 

"I don't believe the people realize the magnitude of the undertaking 
you are fostering and developing in your city. I do not believe the 
people comprehend what this is going to mean to our State. The 
income f;-om flax will amount to more than the combined products of 
wheat, wool, fish, and lumber, and should give employment to 100,000 
skilled workmen, to say nothing of the people employed in the manu- 
facture of the by-products of flax, such as mattress fillings, refrigerator 
linings and dozens of other articles. 

"If the people were only alive to the importance of the raising of 
flax you would have no trouble in raising $50,000.00 instead of 
$5,000.00. There is no question in my mind that with the demonstra- 
tion that Oregon can raise flax as fine as any in the world, that Eugene 
has before her a remarkable future, indeed it may become the center 
of an industry unequaled in importance in any other city in the 
United States. Wishing you every success that your organization so 
richly deserves." 



FLAX BULLETIN 35 



Hemp and Flax Hose, No. 20896 — An American consular officer in 
Norway writes that a firm in his district desires to be placed in touch 
with American manufacturers of hemp and flax hose. It is stated that 
the firm is willing to either buy the hose on its own account or act as 
agent on a commission basis. Samples, with quotations f. o. b. New 
York, should be sent. Correspondence may be in English. 



(ieo. K. Hyslop, Associate Professor of Crop Production, Oregon 
Agricultural College, x\pril 29, 1916 — "In reply to yours of April 27, 
and in keeping with a promise made some time ago, and also another 
letter from Mr. J. Frederic Thorne, 1 am giving you the following 
summary of work which we have accomplished with flax: 

"In 1915, we had some thirty-one different lots of seed flax from 
all parts of the world which were grown in plots to determine their 
ability to produce flax seed. In addition to this, we had some twenty- 
eight small lots which were given a trial in the nursery. These 
small lots included both fibre and seed flax. Yields of flax as a 
seed crop amounted to, in several cases, nearly fourteen bushels per 
acre of re-cleaned flax of excellent quality. Our best results were 
secured with various varieties with various selections from North 
Dakota, 15 5. We also had six different plantings of flax for fibre pur- 
poses in small plots which yielded from 1,460 pounds to 2,880 pounds 
of flax straw, after the seed had been removed by stripping. 

"Our work for this year will involve experiments with cultural 
methods, rate of seeding, variety testing and the trying out of a large 
number of selections which have been made on the college farm and 
some 200 fibre selections made by the Office of Fibre Investigations." 



Cable Flax Mills, Schaghticoke, N. Y. — "We use flax for making 
thread only. Good rough flax as it comes from the scutching mill is 
worth, at present, 20 to 25 cents per pound, delivered at a twine factory. 
This is at least twice the normal price of the last few years. Will be 
pleased to have samples." 

Eugene Bosse — "Manila and Yucatan fibres used annually in United 
States for binder twine amount to $30,000,000. This raw material 
costs 6 to 7 cents per pound in New York. We could furnish good tow 
cheaper than that, which would make better twine, after the fine grade 
fibre has been sorted out." 

V. R. Blehdon, Buffalo, N. Y. — "Freight on tow from Eastern North 
Dakota to New York is $10. Makes three grades of tow: Medium, at 
$18 per ton; extra medium, or No. 2 fine, at $24 per ton; fine, at $28 
per ton, f. o. b. mill. 

"Most of the tow is used in the East by parlor furniture manufac- 
turers; for two or three years back, however, it has been used for lining 
railroad refrigerator cars, after being boiled, chemically prepared 
and making it solid under very powerful presses. After this is done, 
the walls, bottom and ceilings of cars may be lined with this preparation. 
Has been trying to buy and ship flax straw from Montana to his mills 
but it was impossible on account of exorbitant freight rates." 



36 FLAX BULLETIN 



James Thompson Co., Valley Falls, N. Y. — "Flax fil)re in this coun- 
try has been confined to the making of twine and thread. Have paid, 
under normal conditions, 10 to 15 cents per i)onnd for good quality in 
the rough." 

Union Fibre Company, Winona, Minn. — "We manufacture principally 
insulating products, pirie-coverings. etc. We draw straw each fall from 
Southern Minnesota and Eastern South Dakota from distances up to 
about three hundred miles, and freight rates up to 15 cents per cwl., or 
$3.00 per ton. For several years past we have been able to fill our 
average annual requirements of 7,500 to 10,000 tons at an average of 
$7.25 to $7.50 per ton, delivered Winona, but on account of the cuttinfi,' 
off of import fibres by the European war, flax tow is in somewhat better 
demand this year, and consequently flax straw has increased until the 
average price this season is about $8.50 per ton, delivered Winona. 

"Flax straw, after being passed through the usual size of tow l^rake, 
made ui) of about sixteen pairs of rolls, suffers about 50 per cent 
shrinkage in weight, on account of the inside pith or shive being broken 
away, and the resultant product is called coarse flax tow, or upholster- 
ing tow. A second run through a single tow brake, or a single run 
through a double brake such as we have, makes medium tow, and a 
third or even a fourth run, manufactures fine tow, from which practi- 
cally all of the shive and woody particles have been taken, leaving 
almost clean fibre. A fair estimate of present prices on these three 
grades of tow, f. o. b. Chicago market is as follows: Coarse tow, $25 
per ton; medium tow, $4 per ton; fine tow, $5 5 to $70 per ton 
(depending on number of runs). 

"This tow is mostly used by furniture manufacturers for upholster- 
ing purposes, although its uses this year have become a little more 
diversified as a substitution for import fibres." 



Orejion Chair Co., Portland, Oregon — "We are using a quality 
known as 'fine tow,' which costs us, in Portland, $46 per ton. We also 
have used some medium tow, which sells at points of origin for about 
$21 to $24 per ton." 

Kloi>stock Bros. \Vh<tlesal«- I'pholstery, San Francisco, (California — 

"We have not used flax tow owing to the fact that the freight rate 
from the East is prohibitive. The price is from $18 to $22 per ton, 
and if you can produce the same to sell at that price or cheaper we 
would use it in our manufacture. We will do all we can to promote 
the industry." 

Hnlse-Bradford Co., Cpholstery Goods, San Francisco, California — 

"The total consumption of upholstery tow on the Pacific Coast amongst 
the manufacturers is about six carloads a year. This refers to the 
cured article, used for upholstery purposes, for which green tow would 
not be feasible. The tow, to be of practicable use, would have to be 
put up in bales of, say 150 pounds, ])roperly slatted and wired. Loose 
and bulky packages of this commodity are not merchantable. The mar- 
ket value would de])end upon its resiliency and filling capacity, but 
$30 per ton, f. o. b. point of shii)ment would be a fair average estimate." 



FLAX BULLETIN 37 



Columbia Rope Co., Auburn, N. Y, — "Flax should be grown in this 
countrj'. and if it can be grown it would prove of great value to the 
manufacturers, and there would be an enormous sale of same, as it is 
a very rapidly increasing Industry. 

"Flax is used in making linen of all kinds, such as table cloths, 
na|)kins, shirts, handkerchiefs, etc.. and has a durability two or three 
times as great as cotton. 

"Flaxes of all kinds vary in prices. Under normal conditions it 
sells for from S cents to 16 cents or 17 cents per pound, according to 
the quality, while the tow sells for from 6 cents to 10 cents." 



l'.S.I)ei)nitincnt of Agriculture — "Flax fil)r6 is used in the manufac- 
ture of 2.000 tons, or more, of binder twine, each year. Only the 
better grades of clean straight flax can be successfully used for this 
purpose. Much of the flax grown for seed is too short and too weedy to 
be used for binder twine. Flax and hemp are the only plants producing 
fibres at all suited for binder twine that may be successfully cultivated 
in the United States." 

Summers Linen Company, Port Huron, Michigan — "All our material 
comes to us in straw form. We do our own retting. There is a strong 
demand for good fibre and the value of it depends entirely on how it 
is grown and prepared, values varying from nothing to 70 cents per 
pound. There is no doubt but that you could grow excellent straw in 
Oregon, l)ut unless it is properly grown and prepared the value w'ould be 
small. Under proper supervision it would be possible to produce fibre 
from Oregon straw, worth on the market today 40 cents per pound." 



The Sarnia Board of Trade, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada — "Up to the 

present our government has given no assistance whatever to the flax 
o])erators, but they are now having men investigate the business and 
w'e are hopeful of having them take an initiative in several propositions 
for improving the industry in Canada. The price received for dressed 
flax this year has averaged between 18 cents and 25 cents per pound 
for dew retted. The small quantity of water-retted flax sold for 4.5 
cents a pound. The different grades of tow have run from 1% up to 
16 cents. Most of the seed sold in this district by the mill went for 
$1.50 per bushel right after being threshed. The average yield of 
White Blossom seed (the kind which, with Blue Blossom, has proved 
the most satisfactory) has been fourteen bushels to the acre. Blue 
Blossom runs ten bushels to the acre. Owing to the fall being very 
wet the fibre has run from 12 to 16 per cent, with a large portion of 
the lower rate. The water-retted flax averaged a very high percentage." 



J. T. Smith, Flax Manufacturer, Hopkins, Minnesota — "We pay from 
$2.50 to $3.50 per ton for tow delivered by the farmers after it is 
threshed at the tow mill. One and one-half ton of good flax straw 
will make one ton of good coarse tow, which is worth now at the mill 
from $20 to $25 per ton. Two tons of good flax straw will make 
one ton of fine tow, which is worth now at the mill from $30 to $35 



38 FLAX BULLETIN 



per ton. We generally save one bushel of flax seed in making one ton 
of tow, whicli at present prices will more tlian pay for the labor in 
making the tow. There is now a good demand for tow made from green 
flax straw. The uses for green flax straw are numerous for upholster- 
ing furniture and insulating materials, for lining refrigerators, etc., and 
to manufacture crash for toweling. For this purpose there is no 
expense in preparing the flax straw to make green tow. Good, long 
flax straw can be made into spinning tow, which is worth from ,$60 to 
$100 per ton." 

California Cotton MilLs Co., Oakland, California — "To quote you the 
present price of flax would hardly be a fair guide to go by, for flax at 
the present time is almost unobtainable in this country. Under ordi- 
nary conditions tow sells from 6 to 9 cents per pound, depending on its 
quality and cleanliness. Line flax sells from 11 to 16 cents per pound, 
depending on its condition. At the present time very little tow can be 
obtained for less than 8 to 12 cents per pound, and line flax is selling, 
when it can be obtained, from 18 to 25 cents and even 30 cents per 
pound. 

"If you get the industry started in a commercial way in your state 
and have any samples to submit to us, we would be glad to analyze 
them and to report to you what we consider them worth and what we 
could afford to pay for same. 

"Of course, you understand that the high price of flax at present is 
on account of the fact that by far the greatest percentage of flax has 
been grown in Belgium and Russia. Ireland has been a large producer 
also, but the Irish supply is i)ractically all taken up by the Irish 
manufacturers." 

The Flaxen Fibre-Down Co., North Tonawanda, New York, February 
17, 1916 — "We average about two tons of straw to the acre in New 
York, Michigan and Ontario. The average amount of seed realized per 
ton is about five bushels — or about ten bushels to the acre. The 
average height of flax, as we grow it, is about three feet. The average 
amount of fibre realized from our flax straw is about 20 per cent. We 
have found, however, by testing, that Oregon grown flax produces as 
high as 25 per cent of fibre, and this Oregon fibre is longer and stronger 
than we grow here, in addition to being of much better color. * * * 
We have been paying the farmers, of late, $14 per ton for the flax 
straw. * * * Our seed we procured from Belgium, Holland and 
other European countries. * * * Together with our chemists and 
agricultural experts we have devoted our time and efforts entirely to 
the development and methods which will extract the fibre in good 
condition direct from the green straw as it comes from the field without 
any treatment whatsoever. In this we feel that we have attained more 
than ordinary success. Certainly our realizations have far exceeded 
our expectations. * * * We make a very profitable and durable 
yarn suitable for making toweling, crash, canvas, etc., from the green 
flax fibre direct. At the same time we have machines and metliods 
whereby we use every particle of the short waste fibre in making 
beautiful resilient batting from which we manufacture two attractive 
household necessities — mattresses and comforters." 



FLAX BULLETIN 39 



The Northern Insulating Co., Minnesota Transfer (St. Paul), Minn. 

— "We are in the market this season — 1915 to 1916 — for 30,000 tons 
of threshed flax straw. In the manufacture of our product — flaxlinum 
— we can use the ordinary threshed flax straw. In the three states 
mentioned above, the straw will average approximately eight inches in 
length and will yield approximately one-third ton to the acre. Were 
the farmer to cultivate his land more thoroughly at seeding time — ^ 
smooth it down after seeding, sowing three pecks to the acre, and, in 
harvesting, cut the crop very close to the ground — the yield of flax 
straw would be very close to one ton to the acre. 

"This season we are paying at an average of $8.00 per ton, f. o. b. 
Minnesota Transfer for dry, sound, baled flax straw averaging eight 
inches in length and containing not to exceed 10 per cent of foreign 
growth; subject to the weights of the Western Weighing Association at 
destination for final settlement. This price has been quoted by us to 
the farmers in North and South Dakota as well as in Minnesota, and 
nets the farmer at an average of $5.00 per ton, f. o. b. shipping point 
for the baled flax straw, providing cars are loaded to the minimum 
required by the railroad company. However, the freight rate is so 
high from points west of the Missouri River that we have been unable 
to buy any of the straw in that section. 

The freight rate from Oregon to this point would make the price 
of straw prohibitive for our purpose, and the freight rate from Oregon 
points to Chicago and eastern markets where upholstery tow is con- 
sumed, would also make the price prohibitive for that purpose, as 
seagrass, southern moss and foreign tow could be bought at eastern 
points much cheaper than the present freight rates would allow tow to 
be delivered in the east, from Oregon. 

"However, for upholstering purposes in the State of Oregon or on 
the Coast, for the benefit of upholstered furniture manufacturers, it 
would no doubt pay to put in a small plant at some central point in 
Oregon where flax was raised and manufacture sufficient tow to take 
care of the western trade. 

"The great drawback to the successful use of flax fibre is the dis- 
tance between the area in which it is produced and the market for the 
manufactured product." 



Carman Manufacturing Co., Portland, Oregon — "We are using in 
our Portland factory between two and three tons of flax tow a year, 
and there are about fifteen other factories on this Coast that are con- 
suming about the same quantity, and, of course, there hre innumerable 
small shops that would use a ton or so during that period. The demand 
is constantly increasing for the class of goods that require this kind 
of material in its construction, and, in consequence, there is an 
increasing demand for a good grade of tow. 

"As to the comparative values of flax vs. tow: These materials are 
entirely different and one could not replace the other any more than 
you could use paint instead of shingles in covering a roof. For 
upholstering purposes the tow is the foundation of the filling and takes 
all the strain and wear and tear of the spring work. Over the tow is 



40 FLAX BULLETIN 



used a filling of hair or moss, and cotton sometimes is used on top of 
these two fillings to give a smooth, soft surface; but on the best of 
work cotton is eliminated entirely." 



Roberti Brothel's, Los Angeles, California, April 15, 1916 — "Reply- 
ing to yours of the eleventh instant, wish to state that we use flax 
only m our twine, of which we consume about 2,000 pounds per year." 



Balley-Schniitz ('oinpiiny, I'pliolstery and Redding', Los Angeles, 
California — "Our supi)ly of flax tow comes mostly from Wisconsin or 
Minnesota. We do not use a great deal; possibly two carloads a year, 
but could use more if the prices were not so high. As freight from the 
Wisconsin market is about $24 per ton, while the cost of tow, f. o. b. 
Wisconsin, ranges from $20 to $3.5, according to the quality. 

"The amount of tow used on the Pacific Coast would be hard for 
us to estimate as some upholstering concerns use very little and others 
use a great deal. It seems to the writer if tow could be manufactured as 
cheap in Oregon as it could in Wisconsin, and with a much less rate of 
freight from Oregon points to California points, the use of same could 
possibly be increased double or triple, as it would be used more 
extensively instead of the excelsior, that is now used." 



Klopstock Rrothei's, Wholesale Upholstei-y, Redding, Woven Wire 
Springs, Tables, San Francisco, April 4, 1916 — "We, at present, use very 
little tow, owing to the fact that the price plus freight is almost prohi- 
bitive. The price is somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 per ton, 
and the L. C. L. rate would probably be $3.20, making the cost 6% 
cents f. o. b. this city. 

"There are a great many purposes to which tow might be used, 
not only in the manufacture of upholstered furniture but for mattresses, 
if the price was right. 

"We would assume that it would l)e to your advantage to sell tow 
at any profitable figure irrespective of what the market might be from 
a commercial standpoint." 



C()nra<l Townsite Company, Conrad, Montana — "Flax is raised very 
successfully in this part of Montana, some of the crops grown for the 
Northern Flax Fiber Company yielding as much as three and one-half 
and four tons of straw to the acre. The soil is a heavy loam and seems 
to be ideal for flax raising. Of course, flax yielding as above stated is 
grown on irrigated land and is watered under the direction of the flax 
company. The water is derived from the Conrad-Valier Irrigation 
Project, and is nothing but pure mountain water. As I understand it, 
the retting process used by the flax company here is a bacteriological 
]irocess." 



FLAX BULLETIN 41 



Barker Brothers, Upholstery, Los Angeles, California — "If prices for 
flax tow were satisfactory we could use three or four cars a year. East- 
ern prices are from $15 to $20 a ton. A large amount of flax tow could 
be used on this Coast if quoted at right prices. We would like to get a 
car at once if it could he purchased f. o. b. this city at $40 a ton." 



Washington Parlor Furniture Company, Taconia, Washington — "We 

use about 20 tons of flax tow, of a good quality per year, for which we 
pay $44 a ton, f. o. b. Tacoma." 



International Harvester Company, Chicago, Illinois, April 12, lOlfi 

—"You have been correctly informed regarding our expensive experi- 
ments with flax as a material for binder twine. There is no difficulty 
about the strength and general qualities of flax fibre. Even an inferior 
quality of flax produces a good strong fil)re, but there are some mnerent 
difficulties which we have been unable to solve. All our efforts were in 
the direction of utilizing 'green' fibre. We simply cured it in the field 
and then extracted the fibre without the flax having gone through the 
retting process. This is absolutely necessary, so far as the manufacture 
of binder twine is concerned, for the reason that after flax has been 
retted the fibre is too valuable to be used for binder twine or any cheap 
cordage. The cost of producing flax fibre through the retting process 
makes it prohibitive for our use, and the fine, soft, retted fibre (very 
valuable for other purposes) does not — as strange as it may seem — 
make a satisfactory twine. 

"Twine made from the green fibre contains some properties which 
seem to be attractive to crickets, grasshoppers and other insects. In 
addition to this and still more important, a sort of retting process will 
take place after the twine has been used and while the grain is still 
in the field, so that the twine will disintegrate and very often pull 
apart, leaving the grain loose. We did not discover this latter fact for 
several years and gave the insects credit for eating a greater proportion 
of the bands than the facts warranted. 

"The result of our experiments leads us to believe that it is impossi- 
ble to make a satisfactory twine from green flax, and that produced 
from retted flax is too high in price and not satisfactory in quality." 



Angelus Couch & Furniture Manufacturing Co., Los Angeles, Cal- 
if oniia, April 12, 1016 — "We use a carload of tow a year. The supply 
is available at all times. Quality is fine, and medium grades $38 f. o. b. 
Los Angeles. We use it in upholstering only. As to the last question 
we cannot make estimate. We would judge that there are about eight 
or ten cars used in Los Angeles annually." 



Continental Bedding Manufacturing Co., San Francisco, California, 
April 13, 1916 — "We are in receipt of your favor of the eleventh 
instant, and in reply will state that the tow that we use is the result of 
the combings of the flax. We use from four to five carloads per year. 



42 FLAX BULLETIN 



"We enclose under separate cover sample of what we are using at 
present. The price of the quality of this sample is about $25 per ton 
f. o. b. South Dakota, which would make the price approximately $40 
per ton f. o. b. San Francisco." 



L. W. Stockwell Company, Los Angeles, California, April 14, 1916 — 

"Answering yours of April eleventh in regard to our consumption of 
what is commercially known as tow, would say that we probably would 
require a matter of something like 4 tons to carry us through for a 
matter of twelve months. 

"Ordinarily, the price would range from $22 to $45 according to the 
quality. We are submitting you under separate package, a sample of 
two different qualities that we have lately bought, which is made, 
presumably, from what is termed the straw. 

"If you develop anything that we can regularly use in our business, 
shall be glad indeed to have you submit us sample with prices." 



T. G. Todd & Co., Import and Export Merchants, 42 Broadway, Xew 
York, May 15, 1916 — "We are interested in securing a quantity of flax 
suitable for weaving into heavy flax cloth, and if such merchandise is 
produced in your section of the country we will be very glad to be 
placed in touch with the parties who can offer same." 



VARIETY OF USES FOR FLAX 

One of the most encouraging features for the production of flax in 
Oregon is the fact that flax is being used in so many different ways 
and for so many different purposes that there is a very strong growing 
demand for the fibre, for the tow, and for the straw itself. 

It is being extensively used in manufacturing of mattresses, pillows, 
comforters, etc. The variety of things for which there is a demand 
for flax is constantly growing and this brings an increased demand 
for its production. This will undoubtedly result in the development 
of many manufacturing industries being established in the State of 
Oregon, as soon as there is sufficient flax produced here. 

Another encouraging feature in the matter of flax production 
which comes as the result of our world's survey of methods of handling 
it is that the old style of hand labor is undoubtedly going to be done 
away with. Flax will be cut with machinery, threshed by machinery, 
baled and retted by power methods of handling, scutched and manu- 
factured all by machinery methods. The great amount of hand labor 
which has heretofore been necessary for the growing, and handling 
and preparing the crop for market is no longer necessary. There is 
a great development going on throughout the United States and 
Canada along these lines which are clearly shown in this bulletin. 



FLAX BULLETIN 43 



MAXUFACTURED PRODUCTS USING FLAX 

Linen; shirtings; dress goods; lace; knit underwear; toweling; fish 
lines; netting; seine twine; wrapping twine; binding twine; shoe 
thread; bookbinder's thread; upholstery stuffing; insulating for 
refrigerators, refrigerating cars, steam pipes, conduits, sound proof 
walls and floors, etc.; electrical insulation; packing for glassware and 
crockery; building paper; paper pulp. 

A list of factories using flax for the manufacture of the above 
articles, and so offering possible markets for flax tow and fibre is on 
file with the Department of Commercial and Industrial Service, School 
of Commerce, University of Oregon, and will be furnished on request to 
anyone desiring the information. 



Production in the United States 

(Unitfd States Department of Agriculture.) 

"In the United States flax is raised primarily for the sake of the 
seed, much less use being made of the fibre. The production of flaxseed 
is almost wholly confined to the North Central and Mountain States. 
In 1909 the value of this crop, $28,971,000, represented 0.5 per cent of 
the total for all crops. 

"The cultivation of flax is one of the oldest agricultural industries 
in the United States, but it has been forced to move steadily westward 
to new lands, as it became unprofitable in the older states. It was 
thought that flax exhausted the soil and could thus only he grown for 
a few years in one locality, but recent research has shown that the real 
cause of 'flax sick' land is a disease, the germ of which, living ever in 
the soil, soon makes it imposible to produce flax where this disease is 
prevalent. There are areas in this country where soil and climate con- 
ditions are as well suited to the growth of flax as anywhere in the 
world, yet nearly all the flax fibre used in our manufactures is imported. 

"Reduction in the cost of producing the fibre must be brought about 
mainly by the introduction of improved methods of handling the crop 
and the substitution of machinery for the large amount of skilled hand 
labor which has heretofore been regarded as necessary in the 
preparation of the fibre. 

"While Linum usitatissimum is considered the cultivated fibre 
species, botanists recognize upward of one hundred species in this 
genus. In many instances the distinctions between these species are 
so slight that the agriculturist or the industrialist would scarcely recog- 
nize them and they are therefore of botanical rather than economic 
interest. 

"In central and northern Russia, in Holland, Belgium, Ireland and 
northern Italy, flax is cultivated primarily for the production of fibre. 
In southern Russia, British India, Argentina, and the United States, it 
is cultivated almost exclusively for seed production. 

"All of the fibre flax in this country, as well as that of Ireland, 
Belgium and Holland, is grown from seed of Russian origin. The plants 
deteriorate when grown from seeds of the third or fourth generation 



44 FLAX BULLETIN 



in this country, and, unless special attention is given to selection and 
the production of improved strains, it is necessary to import new stock 
every three or four years. 

"The possibilities which the cultivation of flax fibre offers to the 
farmers of the West and Northwest (in the United States) is only 
equalled by the surprise that such possibilities have thus far been 
neglected, if, indeed, they are not altogether unknown. The climate, 
soil, and conditions generally in the Northwest are very favorable to 
the cultivation of the fibre as well as the seed. After a short experience 
as to the primary manipulation or handling of the flax fibre, our farm- 
ers would produce flax which would compare favorably with the best 
varieties of the fibre. It seems strange that a practical people like 
ourselves should for years have l)een satisfied to cultivate flax for the 
seed at a value of about $15 per acre, and at the same time we allow 
6 00 pounds of flax fibre per acre to rot on the ground, this fibre, after 
being manipulated, having a value of $186 per ton. There should be 
a general and persistent effort made to encourage the cultivation of the 
flax fibre throughout the United States, with the view of establishing 
factories for the manufacture of twine and textiles." 



IMPORTS IXTO UNITED STATES 

The countries of origin of the imports during 1915 were as follows: 

FLAX FIBRE 

I'oJis Value 

Belgium .. 122 ? ^7,859 

Russia in Europe 336 77,643 

United Kingdom 3,749 1,628.052 

Canada - 244 37,702 

Other countries 243 74,44-^ 

4.694 $1,87.5,701 

FLAXSEED 

Bushels Value 

Canada 6,629,860 $ 8,843,489 

Argentina 3.927,542 4,403.987 

British India 39,990 50.269 

Other countries 68,823 76,791 

10,666,215 $13, 374, 536 

Destinations of exports during 1915: 

LINSEED OR FI^AXSEED OIL CAKE' 

Pounds Value 

Belgium 26,931,718 $ 414,301 

Fiance 1,375,773 20,945 

Netlierlands 431,248,843 7.499,917 

United Kingdom 22,829,656 351,591 

Other countries 42,408,444 761.307 

524,794,434 $9,048,061 

FLAXSEED DURING 1914 

Long Tons 

Belgium - 1,266 

Russia in Europe - 2,735 

United Kingdom 5,076 

Other countries -- 80S 



9,885 



FLAX BULLETIN 45 



FLAXSEED PRODUCTION, COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURE IN 
THE UNITED STATES 

(United States Department of Agriculture) 

"The seed is rich in an oil of such superior drying qualities that it is 
an indispensable ingredient in paint and varnish, and in the manufac- 
ture of linoleum, oilcloth, printer's ink, patent leather and a few other 
products. 

"As a business proposition, flax is almost universally raised, either 
chiefly for the fibre or exclusively for the seed, either as a source of 
raw material for the linen factory or for the linseed oil mill. 

"In 1791 exports of flaxseed from the United States amounted to 
292,460 bushels, a larger quantity, it is curious to note, than was 
exported in any year thereafter, until 1892. 

"Imports from India continued to figure in the eastern markets, 
usually to the extent of from one-half to two and one-half million 
bushels a year, until 1892. In that year the United States, for the 
first time, took rank among the surplus flaxseed producing nations of 
the world. 

"There are two different varieties of flaxseed produced in the 
United States, the small-grained seed of the Southwest, usually credited 
by crushers with yielding an average of sixteen or seventeen pounds of 
oil to the bushel (56 pounds) of seed; and the larger-grained seed of 
the Northwest, credited by the same authorities with a yield of from 
eighteen to twenty pounds of oil to the bushel; the yield in all cases, 
of course, varies greatly with the climatic conditions under which the 
crops are grown and harvested. 

"The principal product derived from flaxseed is linseed oil. The 
residue, after the extraction of the oil, constitutes the only by-product, 
linseed-oil cake, a valuable cattle food, which, when ground for feeding 
purposes, is known on the market as linseed-oil meal. 

"In the oil making process, tliere is practically no waste, and on an 
average for the entire country it is generally accepted by the crushers 
that a bushel of flaxseed (.56 pounds) is converted by manufacture into 
18% pounds of oil (2i/^ gallons), and 37% pounds of oil cake. 

"The actual manufacture of linseed oil in the United States, how- 
ever, is subject to a somewhat rigid limitation, arising from the fact 
that for this product there is little foreign demand. Importing nations, 
as a rule, import the raw material in the shape of flaxseed and make 
their own oil, and the foreign demand upon the United States amounts 
to only about 100,000 gallons a year (1,212,133 gallons in 1915). 

"Linseed oil has a field of usefulness peculiarly its own. It has no 
uses as an illuminant, none as a lubricant; and, although small quanti- 
ties fresh from the presses are utilized, curiously enough, as a cooking 
grease by an element of the foreign population in some of the large 
cities, commercially it is valueless as an edible oil. In fact, linseed oil 
is adapted to none of the industrial or edible uses to which other oils 
are ordinarily put, whether they be vegetable, animal or mineral. But 
possessing in an exceptional degree the property of absorbing oxygen 
upon exposure to the air, it is essentially a 'drying' oil, and, com- 
pounded on the one hand with divers pigments and on the other with 
various gums, it finds a field of usefulness in the composition of 



46 



FLAX BULLETIN 





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47 



paints and varnishes to the almost total exclusion of all other oils 
Its monopoly in this field is so complete that it has no adulterants, 
except those which detract greatly from its economic value, and no 
substitutes, except possibly the single competitor, corn oil. Linseed 
oil is also utilized to the practical exclusion of other oils in the manu- 
facture of linoleum, oilcloth, oil silk, patent and enameled leather 
and printer's ink. Probably 65 to 75 per cent of linseed oil manu- 
factured in the United States is used in some form of paint or varnish. 
The bulk of the remainder is used for linoleum and oilcloth, although 
about a million gallons are used for printer's ink. It also is used for 
the manufacture of waterproof fabrics, not made of rubber, as an 
enamel for buttons made of wood pulp, in the manufacture of' opaque 
window shades, for a few medicinal purposes, and for a soap especially 
valuable for washing woodwork. 

"Linseed Oil Cake — Linseed oil cake is in very limited demand in 
the United States, but finds an extensive market abroad — used only 
as a cattle food, and highly prized by European stock raisers. Almost 
80 per cent of this valuable cattle food (exceptionally valuable from 
an economic point of view, both as a fattening food and because of the 
high fertilizing properties of the manurial residue) is shipped abroad. 

"In the order of the amount of their takings, the oil cake shipped 
from this country goes to Belgium, Holland, Great Britain, France and 
Germany. 

"Manufacture — The most definite estimate that can be made as to 
the capacity of the average linseed press is that of 125 to 150 bushels 
per day. The average number of days that a press can be economically 
operated in a year is about 250, the annual capacity of a press is from 
32,250 to 37,500 bushels. The number of presses to a mill, of course, 
vary widely, mills of twelve presses being the most common. Probably 
not far from 70 per cent of the flaxseed crushed in the United States 
is ordinarily crushed at the four great centers, Buffalo, Minneapolis, 
New York and Chicago." 



FLAXSEED 

Acreage, production and total farm value, by states, 1914: 
(Table compiled by United States Department of Agriculture) 



1 

Acreage 
Acres 


Average 

yield 

per acre 

Bushels 


Average 
Prodiic- farm price 
tion ; per bushel 
Bushels 1 Dec. 1 

Cents 


Farm 
value 
Deo. 1 
Dollars 


Wisconsin ! 8 000 


13.5 108,000 1 125 | 135,000 
9.3 2,930,000 ■ 128 3,750,000 
9.5 190,000 1 120 1 228 000 


Minnesota '■ 315,000 


Iowa 20 000 


Missouri 8000 


North Dakota 840^000 

South Dakota 320,000 

Nebraska 7,000 

Kansas 45 000 


8.3 
7.5 
7.0 
6.0 
8.0 
8.0 
8.3 
10.1 


6,972,000 128 ' 8,924.000 

2,400,000 1 123 2,952,000 

49,000 1 119 , 58.000 


Montana 320,000 

Colorado 2,000 

United States 1,885,000 

United States (1915).... 1,367.000 


2,560,000 120 
16,000 100 
14,559,000 125.6 
13,845,000 174 


3,072,000 

16,000 

19,540,000 

24,080,000 



48 



FLAX BULLETIN 



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FLAX BULLETIN 49 



THE IXDl STRY IN OIL. SEEDS * 

(United States Department of Agriculture) 

"The United States has, within the past quarter century, become by 
far the heaviest producer of oleaginous seeds in the world. This has 
been wholly due to the utilization of the cotton crop and the expansion 
of flaxseed cultivation. 

"The domestic consumption of all oils of this class amounted in 
1860 to less than 9,000,000 gallons. At the present time there is 
annually manufactured from the domestic crops of flaxseed and cotton- 
seed, a product of from 160,000,000 to 170,000,000 gallons of oil, 
three-fourths of which probably enters into home consumption. 

"It was not until 1891 that domestic supply overtook demand. The 
European demand for flaxseed is supplied almost wholly by Russia, 
Argentina and British India, with a small percentage from the United 
States; but the six leading importing countries for oleaginous seeds, 
Great Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Denmark, use 
about 3,000,000 tons annually, less by half a million tons than the 
quantities of cottonseed and flaxseed annually used in manufacture in 
the United States." 



LIXSEED OIL 

Frederick Walton, of London, happened to notice the film or skin 
that had formed on the top of a can of paint which had been left open 
for several days. Picking the skin up and working it into a ball with 
his fingers, he was suri)rised at its toughness and elasticity. At once 
his active mind began to wonder whether this peculiar property of 
linseed oil — changing into a rubber-like mass when exposed to the air — 
could not be turned to some good purpose. Experiment followed 
experiment and the result was the invention of linoleum in 1863. 

Linseed oil, from which linoleum takes its name, is extracted from 
the seed of ordinary flax. 

The seed not only yields the most valuable drying oil known to 
commerce, but in some countries serves as an article of food. The 
Abyssinians eat it roasted and the oil is used as an edible in certain 
parts of Russia, Poland and Hungary. 

In extracting the oil, the first step is to clean the seed thoroughly by 
blowing out the dust and dirt. It is then crushed lietween corrugated 
steel rollers, heated, and run onto small collapsible frames with mohair 
bottoms. These frames, containing the oil-bearing meal, are placed 
one on top of the other in large i)resses, and the oil then expressed 
by means of a hydraulic ram. The last step is the filtering process, 
after which the oil is to run into storage tanks and thence transferred 
to tank cars for shipment. 



50 



FLAX BULLETIN 



Notes on Flax Production, Conditions and 
Prices in Foreign Countries 

CANADA 

The following are extracts from rei)orts of the Department of 
Commerce: 

Production of Canadian Flax 

(Consul Henry P. Stariett. Port William, Ontario, July 9, 1915) 

"It is interesting to note the importance of Canada as a flax-pro- 
ducing country, the total production in the last five year (calendar) 
having been as folows: 

Bushels 

1910 4,244,566 

1911 10 075.500 

1912 26.130,000 

1913 17,539,000 

1914 7,175.200 

"The largest part of the crop was produced in the Province of Sas- 
katchewan, with All)erta and Manitoba furnishing the most of the 
balance in the order named. The great decease in the 1914 crop 
was brought about by the low prices received for the crop of the 
previous year, together with the unfavorable weather conditions which 
l)revailed throughout the growing area. At present, however, the 
export price for this product ranges from $1.50 to $1.60 per bushel, 
and the indications are that the crop for 1915 will be considerably 
larger than that of last year. 

"The total flaxseed exports, showing quantities and values, from 
Canada during the fiscal years of 1912. 1913, and 1914 (year ending 
March 31), were as follows: 



COl'N'l'ff.IES 



1912 

United States 

United Kingdom 

All other 

Total 

1912 

United States 

United Kingdom 

All other 

Total 

1911, 

United States 

United Kingdom 

AH other 

Total 



Bushels 



20,647,327 



Value 



991,802 

495,496 

17,230 


$ 1.802.894 

1.004,888 

34,460 


1,504.528 


$ 2.842,242 


7,561,004 

2,536,336 

26,353 


.$1 i.sN.-i.ise 

4.537.360 
26.353 


10,123,693 


$16,448,899 


10,164, .-.36 

8,579,713 

1 1,903,078 


$11,910,681 

10.482.556 

2.423,096 



$24,816,333 



FLAX BULLETIN 51 



"During 1914 a considerable market was being developed on the 
Continent of Europe, tlie exports of Belgium having been valued at 
$1,036,003; to the Netherland, $898,763; to Germany, $320,409; and 
to France $295,427." 

"Destination of Flaxseed Exports — In view of the interest which 
American manufacturers of linseed and other products have in the 
Canadian production of flaxseed, it is important to note that the 
United States is Canada's largest customer for this product, the United 
Kingdom being a close second. 



Previous to the war Canada produced 5 per cent of the world's 
crop of flax. 



Revival in Pla.x-Fibre Growing in Ontario 

(Consul Fred C. Slater, Sarnia, Canada, September 4) 

"Flax is quite extensively grown in various parts of Canada, par- 
ticularly in the northwestern provinces. However, the production of 
flax for fibre purposes has been almost negligible in quantity — prac- 
tically all of it having been in the Sarnia consular district, where the 
climate, soil, and water conditions are most suitable. Recently the 
industry received a new impetus, as a result of finding water excellently 
suitable for retting purposes. Interest in raising flax has therefore 
been revived, as the retting with this water produces a quality not 
heretofore obtained. 

"It is reported that half a century ago some seventeen prosperous 
scutch mills operated in this province. One pioneer of the industry 
relates that in one season he purchased 26,000 tons of Canadian flax, 
while other buyers did equally well. But those were times of cheaper 
labor, more new 'breaking' land, and less keen competition. It is 
claimed that by 1914 the number of mills in operation had fallen to less 
than a dozen. This year, however, there are twenty in operation to 
handle the 1915 crop, which is three times greater in acreage than 
that of 1914. 

"For the last two or three years a few men of this Province have 
given special and careful attention to the raising of flax fibre and 
have met with exceptional encouragement. The raising of the product 
was considerably stimulated because of the European war increasing 
the price of the fibre from $0.12 and $0.14 to $0.22 per pound. This, 
together with the already noted discovery of better water for retting 
purposes, has, for the time being, brought flax growing to the fore in 
this vicinity. Recently men from Ireland and New Jersey who are 
interested in flax have gone over the ground in this locality and have 
made very optimistic reports as to the growing of this commodity. 
Many of the old idle mills are being refitted and brought back to service. 



52 FLAX BULLETIN 



"The following detailed explanation as to the water-retting process 
of flax fibre, as now conducted at Forest, Ontario, was furnished this 
consulate September 2 through the kindness of J. A. McCracken, 
secretary of the Canada Flax Growers, of St. Marys, Ontario: 

"The flax is pulled a little greener than according to the old 
Canadian practice; that is, when the leaves a few inches up from the 
root are withered away. The retting tank (of which more may be built 
later) is 50 feet long, by 15 feet wide, by 4 feet deep. It is of concrete, 
with 10-inch walls, and has a partition across the center. Each half 
will hold a small wagonload of flax sheaves. 

"The sheaves after threshing are set in on end, heads up, until the 
tank is filled. Planks are set on the tops of the flax, and stones on 
these, so as to keep the straw immersed when the water is turned on. 

"Mr. Coey, of the Linen Thread Co., Newark, N. J., recently hackled 
at Forest some of the fibre obtained from representative samples of 
water-retted and dew-retted flax grown and treated at Forest. He 
declared that the water-retted fibre was of excellent quality, even in, 
character, and of fine spinning texture. He declared that it was 
worth at least 2 cents a pound more than the dew-retted fibre. This 
is gratifying to Canadians, since the present shortage is chiefly of 
fine spinning fibres, of which the Belgian were the highest grade. 
Canadian flax manufacturers are hoping so to improve their plants 
and processes as to enter the best markets and thus place their indus- 
try on a permanent and prosperous footing. The Canadian Flax 
Growers, recently organized, are bending their energies to this end." 



Reducing; Cost of Production of Flax 

Some important statements relating to the method and cost of 
production of flax have been made in connection with the recent dis- 
cussion of the subject in Canada. The Evening Review of Niagara 
Falls, Ontario, published an article February 14, 1916, by a manufac- 
turer whose company maintains a plant at St. Catherines. The writer 
said: 

"The system hitherto employed is a tedious and expensive one, 
necessitating the employment of a large number of hands — the pulling 
of the flax, the hauling into the mill and threshing, hauling out again 
into the field and spreading on the grass, the turning of it upside down, 
the binding uj) into sheaves and hauling again to the mill, the breaking 
of the flax in fluted rollers, the hand scutching (the beating of the 
wood off the fibre by the scutching blades) — the whole thing being 
entirely dependent upon labor and weather conditions. If we could be 
assured of sufficient expert labor at reasonable prices, and if weather 
conditions could be controlled or overcome; if we could comjjete with 
cheap European labor, and if we could devise a process to overcome 
unfavorable weather conditions, we could soon make Canada the 
greatest linen manufacturing country in the world. 

"To Develop One of Great Industries — To overcome this difficuly, 
to accomplish this purpose, to develop a process for the treatment of 



FLAX BULLETIN 53 



the flax which would have for its object not only reduction in the cost, 
l)ut a large and, shall I say, permanent increase in the quantity of the 
fibre produced, is the task we set ourselves years ago; in other words, 
to bring the flax industry within the catagory of great industries in 
Canada and make it capable of profitable expansion and large develop- 
ment. And this is what we claim to have accomi)lished. 

■'By the process which we have developed, the hand i)ulling will be 
largely done away with, and the subsequent spreading in the field 
entirely eliminated. In future, the flax will be brought direct from the 
field, threshed by specially designed threshing machines, and imme- 
diately l)aled by powerful hydraulic process into bales each containing 
about 7 00 pounds of flax straw. These bales are then carried by 
electric carriers, or hoists, and placed in large concrete tanks of a 
capacity of about 10 tons of flax each. Here the flax is treated by 
means of bacteria cultures, in water held constantly at the required 
temperature, and it is thoroughly 'retted' in from two to three days. 

"I'roduct Made Ready for Baling and Shipment — From the tank 
the wet flax is lifted by electric hoists and passed immediately to large, 
specially constructed dryers, where in the short space of three hours 
the moisture is removed, leaving the flax thoroughly dry and ready for 
the next operation. From the dryers the bales are carried by overhead 
conveyers to the machinery room, where they are mechanically fed 
into large breakers and the wood broken and crushed into fine particles, 
the fibre (or tow) being carried automatically into large shakers or 
beaters, where it is thoroughly cleaned and the resultant product 
dei)osited in large bins, ready for baling and shipment to the spinning 
mills. 

"The ])rocess is short and inexpensive, is positive in its results, and 
will produce a uniform grade. It can be used with any quantity desired. 
It is entirely free from weather conditions and can be carried on the 
whole year round, not being limited to a few weeks in autumn, as is 
the present system. Our mill is designed to handle twenty tons of 
straw per day, but additional mills can he erected and machinery 
installed capable of treating all the flax that can be grown in the entire 
country and as rapidly as it can be produced by the farmers. 

"I*i<)cess One of Simplicity and Kconomy — The object kept in view 
by designing and installing this plant for handling the flax has been 
simplicity and economy. These two words are written large over the 
entire i)rocess. From the harvesting of the flax right through to the 
baling and shipment of the fibre to the spinning mill, everything has 
been designed to handle the flax by the most economical labor-saving 
methods, so as to assure the farmer who grows the flax a steady market 
for his product and at profitable prices, and also to insure the plant a 
regular manufacturer's profit in producing the fibre for the trade." 



According to a re]iort by Consul General R. E. Mansfield, at Van- 
couver, B. C, the estimated yield of flaxseed in Canada for 1915 was 
12.199,600 bushels from 1,009,600 acres, or 12.08 bushels to the acre. 



54 FLAX BULLETIN 



BELGIUM 

The finest I'lax grown in Europe is unquestionably produced in 
western Belgium, and largely in a region of country through which 
flows the river Lys, the town of Courtrai being the center of the 
industry. This is the creamy Flemish flax, from which the finest linen 
fabrics are made, and which owes its peculiar color to the waters of 
this famed stream, "the golden Lys" in which the Courtrai flax is 
always retted. From some cause or causes, as yet not fully understood, 
the water of the Lys for a distance of seventeen miles has the peculiar 
effect of imparting to flax retted in that stream softness and fineness 
of texture that can he produced nowhere else. 

Flax is grown, however, in other sections of Belgium, a fine flax, but 
darker in color, coming from the country of Waes, and retted in stag- 
nant water in specially constructed "pools." In the Brabant, too, 
considerable quantities of flax are grown, both dew and pool retted, 
and known as "blue flax" from its very dark color. 

While the superior quality of Courtrai flax is claimed to be due, 
chiefly, to the action of the soft, slowly running, almost sluggish 
waters of the river Lys, without doubt there are three other important 
factors which aid in the result: First, a soil preparation with sys- 
tematic rotation of crops and extent of fertilizing that few, if any, 
flax farmers in America have ever practiced; second, the use of only 
the best seed and lastly, most careful handling and skillful manipula- 
tion from the time the crop is ready to pull until the straw goes to the 
scutch mill. Nor is the care and vigilance relaxed, even here. 

Exports from all of the consular districts in Belgium for flax were: 

1913 $ 792.940 

1914 291,522 

MANUFACTURES OF FLAX 

1913 

1914 $1,08.5,7-68 

(Detailed accounts from Belgium were not available 
owing to tlie war.) 



RUSSIA 



Russia, alone, produces more flax than all the other countries of 
Europe combined — about two-thirds of the total. 

There are 27 flax growing provinces in Russia, roughly divided into 
two vast areas, in which the culture is widely different in character 
and purpose. In the black soil provinces it is grown for seed alone, 
while in the common soil districts it is cultivated for both seed and 
fibre. 

The following table gives an idea of the area and the general pro- 
duction of flax in the whole empire (both European and Asiatic): 



FLAX BULLETIN 



55 



YFELD OF FLAX IN 1!»12 

( AccurilinL; to the dnla (if tin' RussiiLil (Jovci'iinicii t ('iiili-:il Stal istical liiircau) 
Provinces Producing Principally Fibre Flax 



YIELD 



Fibres 



Seeds 





Acrca 


Total in 
Thousands 
of Pounds 


Per 
Acre 


Total in 
Thousands 
of Poimds 


Per 
A ere 


Kuropean Russia and Caucasus 


2,688,062 
128,621 


1,114,776.0 
55,980.8 




859,582.8 
43.952.4 




Asiatic Russia witliout Caucasus 












Total 


2,816,683 


1,170.756.8 


413 


903,535.2 


320 







Provinces Producing Principally Linseed 





Area 

in 
Acres 




YIELD 






Fibres Seeds 


_ 


Total in 
Thousands 
of Pounds 


Total in 
Per ' Thousands 
Acre i of Pounds 


Per 

Acre 


European Russia. and Caucasus 


815,111 
204,097 


398,952.0 
79,340.4 


389,804.4 

73,672.4 




Asiatic Russia without Caucasus 










Total 


1,019,208 


478,292.4 


466 463,476.8 


460 



The average total yield of flax fibre in the northwestern region is 
estimated at about 360,000 tons, at a value of about $400,000. Three- 
quarters of this quantity is exijorted. There are al)Out 40,-500,000 
acres under the cultivation of flax in Russia, giving the farmers a 
larger profit than the cultivation of corn. It can be said safely, that 
the raw product yields an annual income of approximately $103,000,000 
to the agricultural classes. It must also be considered that flax culture 
is carried on at a time when all other agricultural labor rests. 

The flax industry takes a prominent part in the empire's rural 
economy. But the impoverishment of the soil in the principal flax 
producing districts has become a very serious matter. The average 
yield per dissiatine (2.7 acres) in Russia is only 612 pounds, while it 
is 1,296 pounds in Prussia, 1,332 pounds in Ireland, 1,440 pounds in 
Belgium, and 2,088 pounds in France. With this falling off in the 
yield, the quality of the product deteriorates, and hence the Russian 
spinning mills are obliged to import flax for the finest counts. 

Those who claim that good flax fibre and salable seed cannot be 
grown in the same crop should study the figures of seed production. 
In the black-soil provinces, where there is a small fibre product, 
lo,. 500, 000 acres produce about 8,300,000 bushels of seed worth 
$7,700,000, in round numbers, while in the common-soil provinces, in 
addition to the 260,000 tons of fibre produced, a litttle over 2,000,000 
acres yield almost 9,500,000 bushels of seed, worth $9,400,000 in 
round numbers. 

In general, the manipulation of the flax in Russia is so primitive 
and i)oor that, as a result, the price offered for it abroad is much lower 



56 FLAX BULLETIN 



than that paid for German, Austrian, Irish, and especially French and 
Belgian flax. When flax is purchased in the condition in which it 
enters the market, the manufacturer can not know what he is pur- 
chasing; that is to say, he does not know how much clean flax he will 
have, nor the quality. It is. therefore, easy to understand that the 
purchaser wishes to guarantee himself against such loss and, therefore, 
purchases at very low prices, a fact that causes the Russian farmers to 
lose needlessly al)out $15,000,000 a year. 

The Russian flax farmers pay little or no attention to sorting, 
mixing all grades together indiscriminately, when it is sold to the 
small buyers who ])urchase the ijroduct. The large merchants do the 
assorting, according to quality, though it is stated that this work is 
the most thoroughly done at the i)orts whence it is exported to reach 
foreign markets. 

An important item of Russia's exports is linseed, and though it has 
to compete with the Argentine and East Indian, still reaches 114,692 
metric tons, valued at about $5,400,000. The shipments of linseed 
cake aggregate about 163,800 tons, valued at about $4,890,000. Thus 
the exports of flax, linseed, and linseed cake reach a total of about 
$43,510,000. 

Flaxseed, as understood in Russia, comprises sowing seed and 
crushing seed. The first is a more carefully sorted quality, exported 
exclusively for sowing purposes. Crushing seed is the surplus. Of the 
total quantity exported about two-thirds is described as sowing seed. 
Good flaxseed for sowing purposes is highly esteemed and brings from 
$3.10 to $3.90 per bushel. Flax and its products amount to atiout 
one-sixth of all the goods exported from Russia. 

An acre of good land gives 400 pounds, or more, of fibre, and from 
400 to 535 pounds of seed, but an acre of poor soil will not yield more 
than 160 to 200 pounds of fibre and about 265 pounds of seed. The 
average yield may be considered to be from 265 to 330 pounds of flax 
fibre and 400 to 670 pounds of flaxseed per acre. The low qualities of 
the Russian flax are not the result of natural causes but of the igno- 
rance as to the ])roper method of treating the flax. Another cause is to 
be found in the absence of a home demand for a high quality of fibre. 
Russian factories do not produce linen from the finest numbers of 
spun threads, and, therefore, do not require the highest class of flax. 
The aim of the producer is quantity rather than quality, and the result 
is a progressive reduction in the qualities of the fibre. 

The most important markets for the sale of Russian flax fibre are 
Dundee, Scotland; Lille, France, Ghent and Antwerp, in Belgium. 



IRELAND 



The Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ire- 
land gives the following figures relative to cost and profit i)er statute 
acre of cultivating and handling flax: (In translating these values 
into United States money the English pound sterling has been figured 
at $4.80 and the shilling at 24 cents. The Irish statute acre is the 
same as that of the United States. 4 3,5 60 square feet.) 



FLAX BULLETIN 57 



Rent of land, allowing for exhaustion of soil and fouling of land with weeds $19 20 

Plowing 2 88 

Cultivating j 

Harrowing, Rolling and sowing seed I 2-52 

Seed , 4 20 

Manures 2.88 

Weeding j'20 

Pulling !..."~~!;;;;~;;!"';!! 9!60 

Retting, drying, stacking, delivery at scutch mill, and marketing of scutch 

flax 10.80 

Cost of scutching — 4 cwts. scutched flax at $2.40 per cwt 9 60 



Total $62.88 

Net profit per statute acre, 4 cwts, scutched flax at $19.20 per cwt $76.80 

Less cost of production 62.88 



Total net profit $13.92 



Cost of Producing Fla.x 

Flax from different sections of Ireland has different values, varying 
according to the quality of the seed sown, the kind of land and the 
care with which the various processes are carried out. 

The cost of raising also varies at different times and places. The 
average cost of production per acre in Ireland is estimated as folows: 

Rent and taxes $ 8.41 

Seed 6.08 

Preparing the land 5.60 

Sowing 1.82 

Weeding 1.21 

Pulling 2.55 

Retting 1.34 

Grassing 2.92 

Scutching 8.02 

Total $37.95 

Taking the above average cost of production, and the average yield 
of fibre as 525 pounds per acre, and figuring the average value of the 
flax as about 10.42 cents per pound, the average profits per acre are 
estimated as $54.75 gross — minus the above cost — which yields $16.80 
net per acre. 



The Irish Flax Croi) 

"With reference to the official report on last season's flax crop in 
Ireland it is worth noting," stated the Textile Mercury (Manchester, 
England, February 16, 1916), "that the average production of fibre, 
working out at 4 07.4 pounds per statute acre, as compared with 369.6 
pounds in 1914, was 36.4 pounds below the average for the ten years, 
1905-1914. 

"The total flax crop of Ireland in 1915 is estimated at 2,164,774 
pounds, as against 1,820,179 pounds in 1914, an increase of 344,594 
pounds, while the area showed an increase of 4,890 acres, from 49,253 
to 5 4,143 acres. 

The American Consul at Belfast, Ireland, reported April 19, 1915: 
'The Russian flax crop is reported as a failure. Prices are greatly 



58 FLAX BULLETIN 

advanced. Medium quality flax sold July 1 at $181.28, and on Decem- 
ber 31 at $364.9 9 per ton, while tow, which brought $137.70 on July 1, 
sold for $3 30.9 2 per ton on December 31. 

"It was thought that after the outbreak of hostilities that consumers 
would be able to get their flax supplies from Belgium as usual, but this 
did not prove to be the case and toward the end of November shipments 
from that market practically ceased. Courtrai flax, which was selling 
July 1 at $340.66 brought, on December 31, $729.98 per ton. 

"Ireland's flax acreage fell off from 59,305 to 49,253 acres. The 
yields of fibre were smaller than usual and the quality not up to the 
average. Prices for Irish flax advanced from $243.33 on July 1 to 
$583.98 per ton December 31; Irish tow, for the same period, from 
$187.36 to $350.39 per ton. 

"The United States is, as always, an easy first in the foreign mar- 
kets, taking more than half of the total exports of linen goods from this 
district. 

"Australia has maintained its trade better than any other market 
except the United States. British South Africa marks a considerable 
decline. The British East Indies, after steadily expanding its trade for 
the past five years, shows a decrease. There is also a falling off in 
shipments to Japan. 

"Exports of Linen Piece Goods from United Kingdom — The board 
of trade returns supply the following particulars with regard to the 
value of ex])orts of linen piece goods from the United Kingdom during 
the past two years: 

COUNTRIES I 1913 19U 

Aigentinu 1$ 1,035,99.5 $ .579,016 

Austialia 2.473.102 2.323.875 

Belgium 182,7 81 118.319 

Brazil 853,526 412,660 

British East Indies 1,310.582 1.129,826 

British South Africa 457,091 306.911 

British West Indies (including Bahamas and British 

Guiana) I 112.105 93,938 

Canada ; 1.438,615 1.067,861 

Colombia and Panama \ 280,174 185,526 

Cuba I 1,051,329 870,451 

I)(^nmarl< | 192,260 170,152 

Dutch East Indies [ 307,602 271.410 

Egypt t 151,660 152,837 

France 274,110 176,046 

Germanv 831,802 510.710 

Italv 231.154 192.796 

Japan 280,598 17 4,347 

Mexico 128,738 33,769 

Spain and Canaries 102,036 74,569 

Switzerland 139.664 104,7fil 

United States 14,841,696 15,991.480 

Other countries I 2,365,513 1.733,8tl 

Total \ $29,042,133 $26,675,1 Ol 



"The following is a summary of the value of the exports of linen 
piece goods from the ITnited Kingdom: 

"Total, plain, unbleached or bleached, 1913, $25,138,358; 1914, 
$23,243,012; total, checked, printed, or dyed, and damasks or diapers, 
1913, $2,690,625; 1914, $2,496,096; sailcloth, 1913, $1,213,150; 1914, 
$935 993." 



FLAX BULLETIN 59 



Belfast Linen Trade Circular, July 31, 1915: "Latest advices from 
Russia point to the exhaustion of last year's crop, which was far from 
being a big one, while prosi)ects in the flax growing districts this year 
are by no means good. What the actual position is in the Riga 
provinces it is difficult to ascertain. Flax is available in Brittany, but 
we understand the export is prohibited. Some parcels of Flemish flax 
have been sold as high as £120 ($576.00) f. o. b. Dieppe. Rotterdam 
correspondents, writing under date twenty-sixth instant, state that there 
is a very strong demand for half-scutched flax at £80 to £90 ($384.00 
to $432.00). They also say that more than half the crop is likely to 
go into half-scutched flax this season, and some farmers are already 
making contracts for the supply of from 100 to 300 bales monthly." 



Fla.\ Girowiiig in the South of Ireland 

(Ci)iiKUl We.sley Frost, Cork. Queenstown, January 28) 

"The prospective dearth of flax for the linen trade of the North of 
Ireland has directed attention to the flax-growing possibilities of 
Munster and Leinster. The Belfast Linen Trade Circular, in a current 
issue, points out the success that would attend an expansion of the 
flax acreage in the South of Ireland, and the president of the Cork 
Chamber of Commerce and Shipping has reiterated and emphasized the 
suggestion. 

"Flax ranks second in value among Ireland's imports of raw mate- 
rials. Most of these shipments have in the past come from Belgium 
and Russia. The island's purchases of flax for the last five years have 
averaged 38,000 long tons; in 1912 they reached 42,144 tons, which 
was the record for the half decade. In 1913 Ireland's imports of 
foreign flax totaled 4 0,982 tons, whereas the Irish crop of flax was 
but 12,652 tons, or about one-fifth of the amount required to keep 
the linen mills of Ulster in operation. Any increase that can be 
brought about in the home supply will evidently be of great value for 
the coming year. 

"As a matter of fact, the average yield of flax per acre has been 
decidedly greater in the South of Ireland than in the North. The 
Provinces rank in order as follows (1913): Average yield per acre 
in Munster, 546 pounds; in Conaught, 5 24 pounds; in Leinster, 505 
pounds; and in Ulster, 477 pounds. The average for Ireland is 47 7 
pounds, and the figures given are typical of normal conditions. 
County Cork has consistenly given the highest yields per acre of any 
region in Ireland. 

"The actual acreage and yield in Ulster, however, are far above 
those of all the rest of Ireland combined. The Province of Ulster in 
1913 returned 5 8,577 acres as cultivated to flax, while Munster gave 
400 acres, Connaught 283, and Leinster 48. County Antrim, in Ulster, 
l)roduced 302,915 stones of flax, while County Cork, in Munster, 
produced 6,07 8 stones. The value of the total flax crop of Ireland in 
1913 was $3,542,581, the average price being $1.75 per stone of 1 4 
pounds, or 12% cents per pound." 



60 FLAX BULLETIN 



Prices at Belfast 

The York Street Flax Spinning Company, of Belfast, states that for 
flax of the same grade, as to length, strength, quality and cleanness, 
approximately equal prices are paid whether the flax is water or dew 
retted. However, dew retting is practiced only in the central part of 
Russia, and to a very small extent, in normal times, in Belgium, 
Brittany, and Ontario. Nine-tenths of the Belgian, Holland, and Ireland 
crops are water retted and fetch considerably higher prices than the 
average of dew retted flaxes. Ther are no recognized grades in most 
flax growing countries, each lot, as a rule, being sold on its individual 
merits. The folowing is given, liowever, as a rough average of the 
value of the crops as a whole: 

Ciiurtiai, formerly 24c per pound now unprocurable 

Plemish, formerly 13c per pound now unprocurable 

Dutcli, formerl.v 14c per pound now 26c per pound 

Irish, formerly 12c per pound now 24c per pound 

Brittany, formerly 10c per pound now 17c per pound 

Ru.ssian, formerly 9c per pound now 15c per pound 

The vast bulk of the Irish flax crop is grown in Ulster, which in 

1913 produced 1,996,543 stone (27,951,602 pounds). In 1914 the 
yield was only 1,285,382 stone (17,995,348 pounds). This was due to 
both decreased acreage and decreased yield per acre. The acreage in 

1914 was 49,250 against 5 9,305 in 1913, and the average production 
per acre was 28 stone (392 i)ounds) in 1914 against 36 stone (5 04 
I)ounds) in 1913. At the close of the year the prospective shortage of 
flax in Ireland, due both to the short crop and to the difficulties of 
importing supplies from Russia, had doubled the price. 

While Irish flax has the reputation of being a superb flax, the Irish 
flax culture, as practiced by the small peasant farmers, is slovenly and 
wasteful to the last degree. The term "Irish flax" is frequently only a 
trade-mark, for a large portion of the flax of France and Belgium is 
exported to Great Britain, where it goes into manufactures that are 
regarded as derived from Irish flax. 

Mr. Henry Wallace, who visited Ireland in 1891, and made a report 
the following year, states that the great bulk of Irish flax is grown in 
the province of Ulster, embracing the seven northern counties. The 
acreage has been gradually decreasing for the past 30 years, varying 
considerably from year to year, but declining from 229,17 8 acres in 
1869, to 113,538 in 1888, with an estimated acreage in 1891 of 75,000 
acres. The causes of this decrease have been various, but the principal 
one is the failure of the soil to grow i)rofitable crops, except at long 
intervals. 

The soil is said to be less fertile than in many i)ortions of the 
Northern and Western states in our own country, and is polluted with 
weeds — deep rooted and growing in detached pieces — to be eradicated 
only by hand pulling. 

The best seed that can be obtained is sown at the rate of two 
bushels to the acre. On heavy soil the Dutch seed is considered the 
most suitable, while the Riga seed is thought to answer better for the 
light or medium soils. The Dutch seed is Riga seed sown in Holland, 
.iust as "Belgian" is Riga seed sown one year in Belgium. 



FLAX BULLETIN 61 



(From Pamphlet No. 6-2, I. A. O. S. Publications) 

"There are few industries in Ireland, and, so far as Ulster is con- 
cerned, few of more importance than the flax growing. It is estimated 
that the manufacturers have invested no less a sum than 13,000,000 
pounds sterling ($.52,400,000) in the linen l)usiness. For several 
generations Belfast has been the center of the linen industry where 
the product of thousands of the agricultural community found a 
profitable sale and i)rovided a regular and profitable employment for 
upward of 65,000 skilled hands. 

"The importance of the flax industry and some idea of its decline 
may be gathered from the following figures: 



YEAR 'Acres Under Crop , Values of Crop 

1869-86 (Av.)* 120 245 £972,782 

1899 34,989 298,000 



Decrease 85,256 £674,782 



"In 1898 the amount paid by spinners annually for foreign flax 
reached the enormous sum of £2,932,621 ($14,271,600), repre- 
senting no less than 9 7,25 2 tons of flax. 

"It is estimated that in the hey-day of the industry 120,000 people 
found employment for four weeks in the year in growing, steeping, 
drying, etc., while 1 8,000 hands were employed for twenty weeks in 
each year in the process of scutching. The estimated number of persons 
now thus employed is reduced, respectively, to 35,000 and 5,250. 

"While the number of spindles in Ireland has increased from 
250,000 in 1841 to 855,650 in 1898, many mills have ceased altogether 
to buy Irish flax, solely because they cannot procure the quality they 
require, except from abroad. 

"The decadence of the industry may briefly be assigned to the 
following causes: (1) The use of inferior seed; (2) the absence of 
proper methods of tilling, steeping, and scutching; (3) the want of 
cooperation between the grower, the scutcher and the manufacturer. 

"It is not usually contended that Irish flax has materially dete- 
riorated, but it is maintained that in Belgium and elsewhere the 
growers produce an article of a quality superior to that of Ireland, and 
that they moreover, have taken stejis to secure a product that shall be, 
as far as possible, of uniform quality. 

"There appears to be no evidence to show that the falling off in the 
growing of flax in Ireland is due to any climatic conditions. These 
appear to be as favorable as ever. 

"It will be found that in cooperation, in which growers, scutchers, 
and mill owners are associated, lies the only hope of saving the industry. 

"Statements of Yield — The usual yield per acre of flax in Ireland 
ranges from 450 to 600 pounds, the average for four principal counties 
in 1890, by calculation, being 475 pounds. 

"Mr. Wallace gives some interesting figures regarding the cost of 
production, which also afford a hint in relation to yield. The first 
statement refers to a farm in Kilrea, County Londonderry: 



62 FLAX BULLETIN 



Per Acre 

Plowing $ 2.00 

Seed (eight pecl<s) 6.00 

Sowing, harrowing, etc 2.00 

Weeding 62 % 

Pulling 3.00 

Steeping, watering, lifting 2.2.5 

Mill-dressing 12.00 

Rent of land 12.00 



Total $39.87% 

Yield per acre, pounds 600 

Cost per pound $ .06% 

"The second refers to a farm of 150 acres in Movenis, Garvagh, 
County Derry: 

Per Acre 

Plowing $ 2.50 

Sowing, harrowing, cultivating 5.00 

Seed 5.50 

Pulling 2.00 

Steeping, watering, and lifting 4.00 

Mill-dre.ssing 11.25 

Rent - 7.50 

Total $37.75 

Yield per acre, pounds 630 

Cost per pound nearly $ -06 

"Three-fourths of the farms in Ireland are small — under 40 acres — 
and a long rotation, which is essential, necessitates small fields; as a 
result, 75 per cent of the flax crop is grown in fields of two acres or 
under. Mr. Wallace says: 'When the straw begins to turn yellow and 
the foliage within six inches of the ground is drooping, pull at once.' 

"In Ireland the seed of flax is rarely or never saved, and hence all 
the seed sown is imported from Riga, Russia, or from Holland, generally 
from Rotterdam. Many farmers sow Riga seed, while preference is 
generally given to the product of Riga seed sown one or two years in 
Holland. This is called Dutch seed. But the seed sown in Holland is 
constantly renewed from Riga, few farmers venturing to sow their own 
seed longer than one year, so that Riga may be regarded as the source of 
all the seed sown in the linen-producing countries. 

"As the object in Ireland is to produce fibre and not seed, flax is 
sown very thickly, averaging about two bushels per statute acre. Obser- 
vation among the flax growers of Belgium and Holland shows that, 
when the climate and conditions are favorable, it is possible to secure 
a moderate crop of fairly good seed, and at the same time a crop of 
good fibre. The finest fibre in the world is grown in Belgium, where 
the seed is also saved, although it must be stated that the seed grown 
in Belgium is quite inferior in quality, everything being sacrificea to 
the production of the choicest fibre." 



FLAX BULLETIN 



63 



ENGLAND 
British Flax Decree and the Linen Trade 

(Consul H. D. Van Sant, Dunfermline, Scotland, Februar.v 14) 

"In order to conserve the present and future supply of flax in the 
United Kingdom the following decree has been issued: 

" 'No person shall from the date of this order, until further notice, 
buy, sell, or deal in dressed or undressed Russian flax or tow at present 
in stock in the Iinited Kingdom, or hereafter buy, sell, or deal in stocks 
of dressed or undressed Russian flax or tow after they have been 
imported into this country, except under license from the war 
department.' 

"This government decree prohibiting the purchase and sale of flax 
except under license may seriously affect the linen trade of Dunferm- 
line in the near future, especially as tending toward the increased 
restriction of the already decreasing linen exports to the United States 
from the Dunfermline consular district. It appears that a small por- 
tion of a cargo of 3,000 tons of flax recently arriving at Dundee from 
Archangel in Russia was secured by several of the Dunfermline manu- 
facturers and that further supplies have been secured from time to 
time through Belfast and other sources, enough to carry on the 
American trade for a time at least until new Russian supplies might 
arrive. But this new prohibition of the use of the Russian supply, 
except under license, adds uncertainty to the future as regards Amer- 
ican trade, with the probal)ility of a further decrease in the total 
volume of exports at the end of the year unless new supplies of flax 
are allowed before the year is out." 



'By Chas. A. Holder, American Con.sul, London, September 29, 1915) 

"The present market value of flax fibre is from $486.65 to $729.98 
per ton for the scutched flax. Before the war, $14.60 to $19.47 per 
ton was obtained for the threshed straw. Present prices are: Seed, 
from $12.16 to $14.60 per 410 pounds; fibre, as quoted above; linseed 
chaff brings about 73 cents per cwt. for feeding cattle; tow is worth 
from $194.66 to $243.33 per ton straw, after the fibre has been 
removed, usually is burned, although it sometimes is used for thatching 
roofs, being tough and lasting. It also makes excellent packing 
material for crockery, but it is essential that it should be properly 
dried and kept straight and even in the sheaves if it is to be used for 
any of these jjurposes. 

"The total cost of production per acre, including rent at $7.30 per 
acre, can be given for Great Britain as between $26.76 and $31.63, but 
these figures are only approximate and do not include scutching. If 
scutching is included the additional cost is about $12.16. The net 
profit per acre will depend, naturally, upon the value of the land or its 
rental, the cost of labor, the market for the crop and many other 
factors which will differ in various parts of the country." 



64 



FLAX BULLETIN 



SCOTLAND 

(Dundee, Scotland, Report dated April 21, 1915) 

"The Linen Trade — Flax Famine — The linen trade in the early 
months of last year showed unsatisfactory signs, and there was a 
steady depreciation in raw material values. Prices for the fibre con- 
tinued to rise until they were practically anything that sellers cared to 
ask. The new Russian flax crop, believed to be both inferior in quality 
and quantity, could not be shipped, and spinners were unable to 
replenish their new season's supplies. 

"The war led to the appreciation of all linen-trade values by 100 
per cent and more. A heavy strain was put on the manufacturers of 
the coarser fabrics for urgent government requirements. While the 
manufacturers of the heavier linens had more orders than they could 
possibly take care of. those manufacturing household linens and other 
finer textures did not fare so well and after the outbreak of hostilities 
had great difficulty in securing supplies of yarn. 

"The following table shows the highest and lowest prices of flax 
yarns for the past two years, and the large increase in prices that 
took place as a result of the war: 



YARNS 



Lowest 




3-pound flax warp yarn 
4 -pound tow warp yarn 
3-pound tow weft yarn .. 
40-lea line weft yarn .... 



(American Consul, Dunfermline, Scotland, .January 8, 1916) 

"Large Exports of Linens to the United States — High Prices — 

Linen, or woven flax fabric, has been the principal item of export from 
Fifeshire to the United States for more than a half century. During the 
last year, owing to the war, the conditions of this trade have been with- 
out parallel In the history of the consulate, and the exports from this 
district show a loss of $745,976 as compared with 1914. The quarter 
ended December 31 shows a decrease of $238,838, while the September 
quarter shows a still heavier loss in volume of exports, one of $389,67 7. 
The falling off in this trade has been still greater than the figures 
indicate, as prices are much higher than they were a year ago. 

"Prices of yarns have advanced about 1.50 per cent since last July, 
and compared with prices of a few years ago, or of normal times, the 
advance is about 300 per cent, as stated recently by a leading linen 
expert. It is even claimed that the top price has not yet been reached. 
It has only been possible to produce linen damask at a big advance in 
price, the result being a large decrease in business. Manufacturers 
generally find themselves unable to give quotations because of the 
uncertainty of the yarn market. Yet in the last year when it was 
reported at different times that flax would soon be unobtainable new 
supplies arrived from unexpected quarters, so that looms have 
been kept going on part time. 



FLAX BULLETIN 65 



"It is likely that sales to the United States will continue to be on a 
restricted basis until new supplies of flax and yarns arrive and the 
demand and lower prices restore the old volume of trade. During the 
greater part of 1915 nearly one-half of the looms were idle or turned 
to other account than the manufacture of woven flax fabrics for the 
export trade. 

"The linoleum exports of 1915 to the United States show a decrease 
of $40,908, as compared with the previous year. Considering the 
scarcity of hands, the increase in wages, and the strikes and fires 
in the Kirkcaldy factories that occurred during the year, the decrease 
is not more notable than the decrease of the previous year. It is 
said that the competition of American linoleum factories is becom- 
ing increasingly keen from year to year, and the high quality of 
the American product is becoming more generally recognized than 
it was a few years ago. An increase of linoleum exports to any 
marked degree is not likely during the continuance of the war, 
although afterwards, when the usual supply of labor is restored, the 
indications are that there will be a steady increase in this line of 
exports." 



EGYPT 



G. C. Dudgeon, consulting agriculturist of the Ministry of Agricul- 
ture, at Cairo, Egypt, contributes the following information regarding 
the cultivation in that country: 

"Flax is grown on a small scale only in Egypt, and its manufacture 
is only conducted as a peasant industry by crude methods, which have 
probably been in employment since the earliest recorded times. 

"The crop, as at present cultivated in Egypt, is chiefly grown for 
seed and fi))re at the same time, for which reason the quality of the 
fibre produced is usually inferior. 

"There are no factories for flax treatment or spinning in the 
country." 



AUSTRALIA 



Consul John F. Jewell, of Melbourne, reports that the flax yield of 
the State of Victoria, Australia, for the past season is estimated at 
1,800 tons, or double the quantity produced for the previous season. 

The renewed attention being given by farmers to this industry 
is largely due to the bonus offered by the commonwealth government, 
amounting to 10 per cent on the value of the fibre and the linseed. 

There are three delinting plants in operation, one of which is at 
the state penitentiary, and most of the output goes to rope factories 
for conversion into twine, window sash cord, and fishing lines. The 
plant grown in Victoria is the linen flax. Buyers of the past season's 
crops are highly pleased with its quality and it is probable an attempt 
will shortly be made to manufacture linen locally. The fibre realizes 
from .$20 to $25 ])er ton, and the yield is about one and one-half tons 
per acre. The linseed amounts to about eighteen bushels per acre, and 



66 FLAX BULLETIN 



sells at 7s. 6d. ($1.82) to 8s. ($1.94) per bushel wholesale for cattle 
feed. The returns for the new season's crop planted in .Tune will 
probably show a large increase in acreage. 



American Consular Service, New South Wales: "The common- 
wealth of Australia has offered bounties on flax and hemp linseed, but 
so far no great advantage has lieen taken of these gratuities. 

"During the fiscal year 1913-1914, 137 tons of flax and hemj) were 
raised, yielding a bounty of $574. There was no linseed produced 
during the same period, but in the year 1912-1913, 100 cwt. of linseed 
was made, which yielded a bounty of $4 3. The State of Victoria 
claimed the total amounts paid for these products." 



Sidney, Australia, Department of Agriculture reports: "Cultivation 
of flax in this state has been on a very limited scale, confined mostly 
to experimental work. The result in most districts has not been 
promising." 



FRANCE 



The flax culture of France is confined, for the most iiart. to the 
departments of Nord, Pas-de-Calais, and others contiguous in the 
north, Lille being the center of the industry. It has suffered a con- 
siderable decline within two or three decades, having ceased entirely 
in some departments, while the quantity has diminished in nearly all, 
save perhaps in Nord, in which the city of Lille is located. 

While a little of the fibre is used in France for sewing thread, the 
main product goes to Great Britain. 

Prices of the different forms of flax fibre produced in France are 
quoted by M. Renouard as follows: 

"Dew-retted, 7.^) to 100 francs per 100 kilograms (about 7 ^'2 to 10 
cents per pound); tank-retted, 100 to 150 francs per 100 kilograms 
(about 10 to 15 cents per pound); river-retted, 150 to 300 francs i)er 100 
kilograms (about 15 to 30 cents per pound)" 

"The cultivator receives from 300 to 1,000 francs per hectare for 
the raw i)roduct; that is to say, approximately $24 to $80 per acre; 
but, in American money, about $48 per acre, rental included: so that 
the farmer grows flax at a loss, if his sales fall below this figure, and at 
a profit, if the price realized gives him more than this sum per acre. 
Unfortunately, there has been loss in many districts in late years, which 
accounts for the decline of the industry in France." 



THF: NETHERLANDS 

(Consul General S. Listoe, Rotterdam, January 25, 1916) 
"One of the leading Rotterdam dealers in flax has estimated the 
production of flax in the Netherlands for the season of 1914-15 at 
1,500 tons of l)lue Dutch fibre, 800 tons of white Dutch fibre (imita- 



FLAX BULLETIN 67 



tion Courtrai retting), and 800 tons of Friesland fibre, a total of 
3,100 tons, against approximately 1,600 tons blue and white Dutch 
and 1,200 tons Friesland for the previous season. 

"While the prices of all fibres were low last season, viz., $2.50 to 
$384 for blue and white Dutch and $192 to $288 for Friesland, they 
have advanced markedly as a result of the European war and were 
on December 31, 1914, $600 to $744 for blue and white Dutch and 
$408 to $480 for Friesland. This extraordinary advance has been 
caused by the stoppage, through the war, of all supplies from Russia, 
which country produces annually 300,000 to 400,000 tons and usually 
exports three-fourths of the crop. 

"During the 1914-15 season no flax straw has been exported from 
Holland to Belgium to be retted in the River Lys, nor have the 
Courtrai scutchers l)een able to bring home any of the flax straw 
which they had purchased in France. Notwithstanding this there 
would have been a large production in the Courtrai district this season 
on account of the unusually large stock of straw held over from last 
year, but none of this is now available for the consuming countries, 
since the Belgian, and later the German, authorities prohibited its 
exportation via Holland, which is the only exit." 



(Extract from the "Frankfurter Gazette") 

"Berlin, February 12. (Private telegram.) As already reported it 
is intended to increase the flax fibre culture in Germany during the 
present year from 10,000 to 20,000 or 30,000 hektar (one hektar is 
equal to two and one-half acres). In order to render it easier for the 
farmers to produce the flax, the empire, together with the industry 
(linen) offer a subvention up to 4 per cent to all who will establish 
retting and scutching mills. A bureau of information for retting has 
l)een established in Neusalz a O., which will furnish the farmers with 
free advice, plans and specifications for machinery, and attend to the 
supervision of the building and installation of plants and instruction 
of the first workers. All applications for subvention are to be 
addressed to said bureau. The (linen) industry on their part have 
decided to immediatly put up a large number of retting establishments, 
which will be ready by the end of July to begin operations. On the 
twentieth of the month the flax committee will meet in Berlin with the 
memliers of the Farmers' Association and Farmers' Central Bureau to 
confer about all further steps. The farmers will be granted the right 
to sell and deliver their crops after the pulling of the straw. However, 
the profit on the retting and scutching processes has been made suffi- 
ciently large to induce the farmers to attend to these processes as well, 
and thereby secure for themselves additional profits. 

"The prices for a good middle quality per 200 pounds are fixed as 
follows: 

"Flax in the straw, $5.00; retted, $8.00; half scutched, $12.50 to 
$15.00: scutched, $25.00 to $35.00; heckled, $55.00 to $60.00. 

"The War Association for Flax Culture has obtained seed in suffi- 
cient quantities, which is placed at the disposition of any and all farmers 
who are willing to enter into a contract with the War Association." 



68 FLAX BULLETIN 



GREATER FLAX CULTURE IN SILESIA PROPOSED 

(Consul Harry G. Seltzer, Breslau, March 14) 

"A speaker at a general assembly of the Landwirtschaftliche Vereiii 
at Breslau advocated more extensive flax culture in Silesia. He stated 
that it was most important that the fullest possible attention should 
be paid to the question of supi)lying textile raw materials, and it was 
a national duty to provide for a large supply of the best fibres in time. 

" 'The culture of flax is possible in Germany,' he said, 'but it was 
neglected before the war. Since the whole nation has a strong interest 
in the increase of flax production, it would be advisable for the govern- 
ment to enforce the cultivation of an area of 40,000 hectares (98,842 
acres), and at the same time to fix maximum prices for raw and retted 
flax, thus assuring its sale.' 

"It is stated that by the decreasing culture of sugar beets there will 
be a greater area for flax culture. In the province of Silesia this 
decreased sugar area is said to have amounted to 33 per cent last year, 
and this year it is expected to be about 5 per cent. The German linen 
industry is said to need annually about 45,000 tons of flax, but to 
have only the tenth part of it just now. 

" "An emanci])ation from foreign markets is absolutely necessary 
and the i)rosi)ects are favorable at i)resent,' was a statement of the 
speaker already quoted. ' 



FLAX PLANTED IN OREGON IN SPRING OF 1916 

About 600 acres of flax were planted this year in the vicinity of 
Salem. Seed was procured from the State. The flax will be harvested 
by convicts and the straw will be sold to the State at $15.00 per ton. 
The raising of the flax is under the supervision of a State expert. 

Private enterprise near Gaston ])ut in 100 acres of flax, the seed 
procured from the State. 

Eugene Chamber of Commerce, with the aid of the Portland 
Chamber of Commerce, has planted 200 acres, the cultivation of which 
is under the direction of Mr. Eugene Bosse, flax expert. 

Roseburg has made an experimental planting of about six acres. 



FLAX BULLETIN 69 

LATEST REPORT ON FLAX PROM AMKRICAX COXSUIi 
IN BELFAST, IRELAND 

The School of Commerce, University of Oregon, is just in receipt 
of the following report from Consul Hunter Sharp of Belfast, Ireland, 
in relation to the conditions of the linen industry, prices of flax, etc. 

Prices of flax virtually doubled during the past twelve months. 
Large supplies of Russian flax were received, while Dutch supplies were 
small, and there were only odd lots of Belgian flaxes received, for 
which high prices were paid, touching even $1,460.00 per ton. Russian 
flax was on a basis of about $389.00 per ton; Dutch, $1,314.00; and 
Irish flax as high as $1,168.00. 

Advanced prices for yarns have been responsible for stopping the 
manufacture of various lines of linen goods, some of which, over a 
series of years, were regarded as the steadiest branch of the business. 
This is notable in the case of linen damask, as large numbers of looms 
have been turned from making pure linen varieties to that of all cotton 
or union cloths. 

The United States occupies first place in the purchases of linen 
goods, taking more than half of the total exports from Belfast. The 
exports of linen goods to Canada from Ireland show a perceptible 
increase over 1914. The total linen goods exported from Ireland in 
1914 to all countries amounted to $26,675,101.00; in 1915, 
$24,027,500.00. 

The total value of exports from Belfast to the United States was 
$15,823,964.00 in 1915, a decrease of about $2,000.00 over 1914. 
Hackled flax exported in 1915 to the United States amounted to over 
$1,000,000.00. 



70 FLAX BULLETIN 



INDEX 

Page 

Experiment Bulletins 3 

Oregon Advantages .- 4, 5 

Some Expert Opinions on the Possibilities of Successful Flax 

Growing in Oregon 5—9 

A Promising Industry 9, 10 

Eugene Chamber of Commerce Flax Report 10, 11 

Extract from Annual Report of President Colt, of Portland 

Chamber of Commerce.. 11, 12 

The Oregon State Flax Project 12 

Observations by Dr. H. L. Deimel 13-16 

Early Efforts of Women to Establish the Flax Industry in 

Oregon 16,17 

Soil Preparation, Planting, Harvesting, Crop Rotation 18—22 

Costs, Productions, Markets, Prices, Profits, etc 23—30 

Demand for Flax ...31, 32 

Freight Rates 32 

Feeding Value of Straw 33 

Extracts from Letters 33—42 

Variety of Uses for Flax 42 

Manufactured Products Using Flax 43 

Production in the United States 43, 44 

Imports into United States 44 

Flaxseed Production, Commerce and Manufacture in United 

States - 45 

Imports and Exports into United States 46, 47 

Flaxseed 47 

Flax Area and Production of the World 48 

The Industry in Oil Seeds 49 

Linseed Oil 49 

Notes on Flax Production, Conditions and Prices in Foreign 

Countries 50—68 

Flax Planted in Oregon in Spring of 1916 68 

Latest Report on Flax from American Consul in Belfast, Ireland.. 69 



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